Baz Luhrmann Buys "The Great Gatsby" Rights

Baz Luhrmann may jump from pre-WWII Australia to America's Jazz Age.

The "Australia" helmer has purchased the rights to "The Great Gatsby," F. Scott Fitzgerald's tome of the Roaring Twenties. While a script does not yet exist, Luhrmann intends to focus on it after "Australia's" awards run. No studio is attached yet.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[TurgidCaterwauling]

Both the Redford & the A&E version had something to recommend. Haven't seen the original.
I see nothing wrong with the occasional remake. I'd like to see a new Grapes of Wrath and Moby Dick (didn't care for the low budget Patrick Stewart version) among other classic remakes. The idea that
an Australian can't do justice to an American classic is silly. Why would an American have a better feel for the period than a foreigner? Actually, more remakes could have the effect of stimulating more interest in the literature.

[CKieffer]

I LOVED the book; enjoyed the casting and visuals of the original movie (barring Mia Farrow) and am praying this man has the wherewithal to do justice to an iconic story about America's economic and social fabrics.

If this becomes a musical or surrealistic rendition of the story I will be spitting mad. Anything else and I would be willing to risk the price of admission to see the movie.

p.s, I don't think he will be able to top the pale yellow car, Karen Black's performance or Dr. T.J. Eckleburg.

[Tatiana]

Has anyone noticed that "The Great Gatsby" is a modern version of "Wurthering Heights?"

[1201SLD]

What rights has he bought, and from whom? Isn't the book in the public domain?

[mzwednesday]

Oh No..He's gunna turn The Great Gatsby into a Gay Opera..
Your turn America...:)
he he

[SoCalM]

Have any of you seen "Australia?" It was awful.

There ought to be laws....

[ZellaBee]

Oh No! Gatsby the book is great and everyone should read it, but not sure we need another Gatsby movie.

[Smirk]

Amen. Here's hoping the movies of 2009 are made from original screenplays--no more remakes, especially remakes of TV shows.

[Promise]

I love the novel and hope that this version is better than the Redford/Farrow one. Redford was perfect, as usual, but Mia Farrow was a huge disappointment. She was pregnant during the filming which really distracted from the light and airy character of Daisy. She just couldn't pull it off.

I hated Moulin Rouge and haven't read much good about Australia so I'm not getting my hopes up for this. Better to stay home and re-read the beautiful novel.

[AngryAmish]

Love Fitzgerald, the best, perhaps only, romanticist of the modern age. Love Baz, the best, perhaps only, non-ironic romanticist of the ironist age. I'm ready to roll the dice and take my chances on this film.

(Great posts, by the way--from everyone, even the ones who say, "Don't do it!" Smart people.

[Poyda]

Oh no, Baz - don't do it.

We would all prefer that an American director do the film so that we can enjoy yet another classic car smash, followed by sex scene, followed by killing, accompanied by idi-otic one-liner that makes the killing oh-so-cool, and an ending where everyone slaps the lead on the back as he sulks off into the distance.

Please shove your originality. In fact, your films are good for nothing other than giving American directors the material they need to sweep the Oscars two years from now. I can't wait for the Oscar winning film - "Nevada" - to be released; an epic love story set against a majestic backdrop about a girl from LA who works to save her family farm with the assistance of a local native American child.

[htd2009]

Great. Another 150 Mil to dum down the toilet. Hey, Baz, take a break.

[Fabini]

No need to do another movie of The Great Gatsby, it is far far better read.

[neumann]

Just because something is a great book doesn't mean it makes a great movie adaptation, and if Baz gives us John Leguizamo as Tom and the full Baz-o-vision treatment he will be off to a great start in wrecking this classic.

my blog at neumann103.wordpress.com

[getalong]

Aww.

I was looking forward to the Martin Scorsese version staring Vinny Chase.

Oh well. :(

[RobinLandseadel]

I was looking forward to the Alex Cox version starring Christopher Walken and Diamanda Galas.

[klondiker]

LOL

[robotkiller]

Great...another t.errible Gatsby movie