Thursday 2 September 2010

Where Do All the Auteurs Go To?

It can be a frustrating business waiting for our favourite directors' new offering to come forth and thus here is a list of a select few of the more well known auteurs and a little information as to what they are apparently working on. As long as these talented people continue to make cinema, that will usually be good enough but just for fun, here's some silly and half serious suggestions for future projects:


The much anticipated 1950's set Tree of Life starring Brad Pitt will hopefully arrive later this year plus incredibly, Malick, the man who'd previously completed only four feaures in thirty two years has another project already in the pipelines.

Suggestion: How about a little sci-fi from this American master?! I'd love to see his 2001: ASO, although it would probably take a few decades to finish...

Our adored Spaniard is reunited with Antonio Banderas in creepy (in a good way) sounding The Skin I Live In, set for a 2011 release. A biopic of Italian singer, Mina starring current muse Penelope Cruz could follow.

Suggestion: I reckon he'd be ready for a full blown English language film assault

The engaging Bavarian has his annual documentaries on the go - no word on exact details of a new feature film just yet.

Suggestion: Following the success of Bad Lieutenant, work with Nic Cage again - perhaps an existential journey set in South America;)


The Hong Kong director's new baby, The Grand Master - the story of the man who trained Bruce Lee will probably reach the West in 2011 - cannot wait.

Suggestion: Entice Maggie Cheung out of semi-retirement!



Apparently his next project is a remake of a French film, My Best Friend.

Suggestion: After the Fantastic Mr Fox success, perhaps adaptations are the way to reign Wes in a little.

The suspense maestro was said to be reuniting with his Piano Teacher muse, Isabelle Huppert in a film based around the subject of aging. However, Haneke is now making a film 'about the internet'.

Suggestion: Challenge Meryl?!



Woody continues his European tour with the London-based You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (released in the US later this month) and the more intriguing 2011 feature, Midnight In Paris starring Owen Wilson (could be a good match?).

Suggestion: Return to New York - bring back Farrow (if possible), Keaton, Wiest et al and make your 8½..


Their True Grit remake opens later this year and reunites them with the Dude himself, Jeff Bridges. Following this Western, they could be adapting the alternative-history themed Yiddish Policemen's Union.

Suggestion: What can one suggest to directors in the peak of their powers?!

The consistent Payne returns from the filmmaking wilderness next year with The Descendants starring George Clooney.

Suggestion: Don't have these seven year breaks too often!

Apocalyptic-themed Melancholia (really Lars?!) should be another 2011 release. Personally I'm pleased with his recent Tarkovsky route.

Suggestion: Tilda Swinton leading a Lars von Trier picture sounds like heaven to me.

2011 should hail A Dangerous Method, which centres on the relationship between Jung and Freud - sounds like ideal territory for a rare Cronenberg biopic.

Suggestion: A deformed superhero picture?!




As always, this living legend has many projects on the maybe pile. Next up is a George Harrison documentary and an adapation of The Invention of Hugo Cabret. A Frank Sinatra biopic leads the maybe pile.

Suggestion: Just make Silence Marty.

Another Year (partly filmed in Burning Reels' home town of Derby) drew favourable early reviews from Cannes and could well feature in this year's Oscar race - at least the Original Screenplay category.

Suggestion: Show Sally Hawkins' talents off again.

Following the often mesmerizing Bright Star, Campion was last quoted stating she could be developing a TV mini-series but any better information than this is more than welcome.

Suggestion: Something sensual starring Isabelle Huppert perhaps.



The Social Network, which looks at the founding of Facebook opens next month and the remake of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo should follow in a year.

Suggestion: The compelling Zodiac was wonderfully inspired by Seventies cinema. Rumours that The Social Network could be inspired by All the Presidents Men are encouraging - this is your strength Fincher!

Thanfully this talented American auteur has a busy upcoming 2011 schedule (although this could and most likely will change), offering his screenplay skills to action comedy Tower Heist and probably helping to fund his next directorial project, The Emperor's Children - a 'comedy' centred around three Brown University-educated people approaching the age of 30 in the months leading up to September 11.

Suggestion: A vehicle for his actress partner, Jennifer Jason Leigh could be an idea.

Numerous ideas have been thrown around by Mr Tarantino's constantly talking mouth including an Inglourious Basterds prequel, a third Kill Bill, a vampire film and a spaghetti western. As he's undecided, perhaps we should prepare ourselves for a few Tarantino-less years.

Suggestion: I challenge thee to make a romcom!

The modern master's next feature is slated to be The Master, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman as a charismatic religion creator, which sounds like a great excuse to critique Scientology.

Suggestion: The man has made Boogie Nights, Magnolia and There Will Be Blood by the age of 40 - incredible. Any genre or actor you'd like to see PTA work with?


Local treasure, Meadows has developed a TV mini-series sequel to his most successful feature, This is England. Hopefully the rest of the cinema world will one day catch onto this quintessentially English talent.

Suggestion: A road trip across Europe starring frequent collaborator, Paddy Considine.


The director of The Silence of the Lambs and Rachel Getting Married is one multi-talented fellow and has recently directed his first play. A Bob Marley documentary is currently in post-production and hopefully a new feature will soon follow.

Suggestion: I know you like to spread your wings Jonathan Demme but the Rachel Getting Married style was inspired - can't we stay in that zone?!

The existentialist is currently working on a script tackling 'the anger culture', whatever that might be.

Suggestion: Carry on making your crazy shit but use a more comediac lead actor than Philip Seymour Hoffman.



Possibly making an animated version of The Addams Family. After his recent inconsistencies in feature film making, perhaps he should stick to the animation.

Suggestion: Just for a change, lay off the Depp and Bonham Carter for a while.



Currently writing, making music and meditating.

Suggestion: Any type of new feature film please!






Any of these upcoming projects specifically exciting you?
Is there an area or genre or specific idea you'd like your favourite director(s) to tackle?

9 comments:

  1. I want Tarantino to make an animated movie. Like, CGI adaption of Faster Pussycat Kill Kill!.

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  2. I thought Pedro said he would never do biopics or English movies. Let's see...
    Although I think his screenplays wouldn't translate so well into English. His use of Spanish is soooo rich, I say let him stay in Spain.

    Also, Woody's "8 1/2" is "Stardust Memories".

    But what a great list of people,I wouldn't complain if they were the only filmmakers making movies.

    But where's Baz Luhrmann?

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  3. Nice idea Simon, I could definitely see a warped animated feature from Tarantino.

    You could well be right Jose - Wong Kar Wai's English language flutter didn't pay off for that exact reason and i've not seen Stardust Memories yet...

    Sorry, I thought I had to stop eventually plus i'm more a Luhrmann admirer than lover. Although I only mentioned Burton to tell him off, as he's became such a lacklustre filmmaker.

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  4. Damn, I was going to say Stardust Memories was Allen's 8 1/2 but JOse beat me to it. It's one of Allen's worst films to boot. Isn't Wong remaking Lady from Shanghai?

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  5. That's quite a collection of auteurs you have there. While I'm not sure I could comment on any specific ones I will say that I'm a fan of obscenely long movies.

    I'd like any one of them to make an 8 hour movie next. That would be awesome!

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  6. Not sure what's happening with the Lady of Shangahi thing Mike - I know originally he was planning to with Nicole Kidman, then Rachel Weisz was mooted - we'll see I guess...

    Haha sounds good Robert - I reckon Lynch should make that his last film - heaven for some, nightmare for others!

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  7. Lovely post!

    Re: Campion. I love your suggestion and I hope Huppert is not mad for being rejected for the central role of The Piano.

    Von Trier with Tilda and Haneke with Meryl or any combination between these four would be great.

    But!!! Cruz as Mina??? Please, dear god, NO!! I love Mina and I reeeeeally don't want to see Cruz as her!! Cotillard (yes, again a music goddess) or Winslet or Swinton or... whoever, really.

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  8. Interesting post, must have taken a while to find out all this ( :
    I didn't know about "The Emperor's Children" by Noah Baumbach

    Maybe Darren Aronofsky, Terry Gilliam, Nicole Holofcener & Sofia Coppola, etc should be here? but I understand you had to draw the line somewhere.

    keep blogging

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  9. God, Dianne Wiest in a Woody Allen film again? Keaton in a Woody film again. Heck, I'm salivating and it's not even real.

    (I don't Burton should lay off HBC, but then I don't think anyone should lay off HBC. She's turned into the strongest thing in his films.)

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