Patton Oswalt talks about working on Blade: Trinity

[kalorama]

He had power to get a director change , yet didn't have power ? Really ? Does that make any sense ?

I agree that once the movie started rolling the idea was to get this finished due to making $$$. I agree with that much. But the power/lack of power makes no sense , since Snipes had one removed.

Power and money are not two separate issues. They're intrinsically linked to one another. The studio granted him "power" to the extent that it served their bottom line to do so. Once acquiesing to his wishes started costing them more money than they were willing to spend, they stopped doing it. It's really not that complicated.

I think a lot of the rewrites...was basically due to Snipes. Remember , the man barely came out of his trailer. It was brought up that a lot of rewrites and why Reynold's character got more lines was due to this . That Goyer was in a position where he was making a big film , his main star was having issues and not helping , and he had to write around him a lot. That to me was a factor of rewrites.

Key phrases being "you think" and "to you." It's all speculation (on both sides). But, as a general rule, when a new director is brought onto a project that's already in development, he makes changes to the script to suit his approach. So it's certainly reasonable to think that Goyer would have done so in this case, in advance of the trouble with Snipes.

Yes action films do rewrites to an extent. But they have a finished script and one an actor agrees to do before going to do the film.

That is simply not always true. Films can and do start filming without completed, approved scripts. It happens. It also happens that actors sign onto films without there being a completed script. And if Snipes was contractually obligated to do the movie (which one assumes he was, since it was a sequel) they wouldn't have to show him a script to get him to agree to do it, because he'd already agreed to do it when he signed the contract for the first one.

Things can change once filming starts . Scenes get added or dropped. But with this Snipes seemingly caused the movie he was a star in , to be forced to add more rewrites there as Oswalt explains , they would give Reynold's more due to it. (And used a cut out of Snipes to bounce lines off of...since that was what they were dealt with)

There's really nothing in the Oswalt interview that actually says that Reynolds got a larger role due to the changes. The line "A lot of the lines that Ryan Reynolds has were just a result of Wesley not being there" does not automatically imply that he got more lines or a larger role. It only directly implies that his lines were changed as a result of the fact that he wasn't interacting directly with Snipes. We don't know that his role actually expanded. Again, that's speculation.

Whats interesting is if you look at his IMDB ...people claim Goyer was sprung on Snipes out of nowhere and he was forced with him. Well if ya look back at Snipes film career , Goyer actually directed Snipes in the small film "Zig Zag" . Which came out 2 years earlier.

I never claimed that, so pointing it out has no bearing on any of my points. That aside, the fact that Goyer directed him in another movie years earlier doesn't actually refute the claim that Goyer was forced on him for Blade. The one has nothing to do with the other.

If anything the theory that Snipes was a poor victim doesn't work once you consider the industry now.

I never, in any way, shape, or form, claimed Snipes was any kind of "victim," so that really is irrelevant as a response to the points in my post.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Power and money are not two separate issues. They're intrinsically linked to one another. The studio granted him "power" to the extent that it served their bottom line to do so. Once acquiesing to his wishes started costing them more money than they were willing to spend, they stopped doing it. It's really not that complicated.

It goes into the power though. Snipes had one replaced. Of course once they got deep into shooting Blade they likely realized , we can't logically replace David Goyer now. Were too far into the process with the filming.

Key phrases being "you think" and "to you." It's all speculation (on both sides). But, as a general rule, when a new director is brought onto a project that's already in development, he makes changes to the script to suit his approach. So it's certainly reasonable to think that Goyer would have done so in this case, in advance of the trouble with Snipes.

Of course some directors will do that and tweak scripts at times . I agree . But what your missing here is...Goyer wrote all 3 Blade movies. He had wrote the previous 2 , and did this one. They just let him direct it. So a lot of tweaking likely didn't happen til the situations on the set occurred.

That is simply not always true. Films can and do start filming without completed, approved scripts. It happens. It also happens that actors sign onto films without there being a completed script. And if Snipes was contractually obligated to do the movie (which one assumes he was, since it was a sequel) they wouldn't have to show him a script to get him to agree to do it, because he'd already agreed to do it when he signed the contract for the first one.

The old days of stars being forced to do a film is over. Stars today reject numerous scripts for sequels and projects a lot. The whole mandate that since Snipes signed for the 3 films , he had to do the film and would have have to do it without script unseen is really something I'm sure his agent would be screaming over. Because no agent is gonna let their star agree to film anything without a script to be seen or read.

And that this film is $65+ million budgeted film. You can bet your ass the studio wanted a finished script for before agreeing to film it.

There's really nothing in the Oswalt interview that actually says that Reynolds got a larger role due to the changes. The line "A lot of the lines that Ryan Reynolds has were just a result of Wesley not being there" does not automatically imply that he got more lines or a larger role. It only directly implies that his lines were changed as a result of the fact that he wasn't interacting directly with Snipes. We don't know that his role actually expanded. Again, that's speculation.

I take it as Oswald joking about the "Smiles are contagious" line and more as him basically saying , he got those lines due to the situation involved. Because where else do you get guys riffing lines like that ? Because again , if rewrites to his own script happened Goyer likely had to make the film happen , so he recorded the stars he had. It says something Goyer would call Snipes on quitting and saying he could finish the film with his stunt double since he got all the close ups he needed.

never claimed that, so pointing it out has no bearing on any of my points. That aside, the fact that Goyer directed him in another movie years earlier doesn't actually refute the claim that Goyer was forced on him for Blade. The one has nothing to do with the other.

I think it plays more into the overall situation here though. Goyer had written the prior movies , then Snipes shot this with him. Yet suddenly he was forced on him now. After the fact that he had a history of being in a film written and directed by the same guy .

I never, in any way, shape, or form, claimed Snipes was any kind of "victim," so that really is irrelevant as a response to the points in my post.

Sorry , its the overall feelings I get from some. That the poor guy was victimized by this evil guy. Its not you I should have geared that at.

[Tish-the-Scorpion]

the fact that Biel ranks higher than Reynolds should tell you all you need to know about IMDB

i know right lol....i would say snipes is a better dramatic actor than both anyways.

[Jared]

(All that said, Snipes did have a rep for being an eccentric even before this, but his behavior on Blade went beyond anything I'd ever heard about him doing.)

Hell, there's a long-standing rumor, that she's never refuted AFAIK, that the reason Halle Berry is deaf in one ear is from Weslely hitting her when they dated years ago.

And actors staying in character while onset but off camera is hardly unusual.

Though it isn't in character for Blade to be high all day.

While I always LOVE talking to actors to find out what so-and-so is like on set/in person... I think it's wrong for Patton Oswalt to publicly slate another actor, no matter how badly he behaved. You keep that to yourself, and the acting community respect you more for being a professional (because word gets around, just not publicly) and getting on with it and not stooping to the diva's level.

I think when the subject in question is not only in a career funk but also *in jail*, it's OK. Nobody hurts themselves by calling out Lindsay Lohan on her shit anymore. And besides, Patton is a primarily a comic, not a serious actor. Kathy Griffin made her career by talking about celebrity encounters.

Anyway, I live hearing "the real so so " stories too. Incidentally: Blake Livey is super nice. Leighton Meester is a snob. Kirsten Dunst was problematic on the Spidey 3 set, but that may have been due to issues she's since been to treatment for. Kate Hudson thinks *very* highly of herself and is a little paranoid. The Miz really is an arrogant douchebag. Snooki is a good-tipper and generally friendly.


I just want the studio to get off its ass and make a Blade movie with Michael Jai White while he's still young enough to do it.

[kalorama]

Hell, there's a long-standing rumor, that she's never refuted AFAIK, that the reason Halle Berry is deaf in one ear is from Weslely hitting her when they dated years ago.

It's never been confirmed either, which is why it's a rumor. But even if it's true, I don't see that it has any bearing on the topic at hand. If it is true, all it does is confirm that Snipes is an asshole, which isn't really the issue here (at least not as far as I'm concerned) with regards to the "chicken vs. egg" aspect of what happened between Goyer and Snipes on the Blade set.

Though it isn't in character for Blade to be high all day.

No one said it was. That being said, it's also not unusual for an actor to show up on set "chemically enhanced" as it were.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

As I was watching Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull last night , I went online and read about the film. What was interesting was the reaction of the stars of the film and how they agreed to do it.

Shia LaBeouf - He signed on the moment Spielberg called him and offered him the role. He didn't even know what character he was playing and didn't even ask to look at the script.

Ray Winstone- Got offered the part in the movie but asked to see the script 1st to read about his part.

John Hurt - He too wanted to see the script 1st before taking the role.


It was interesting to read this at a link and have the stars basically admit they wanted to see the scripts 1st before accepting and Shia was so excited he was like...fuck looking at the script ..its an Indiana Jones movie.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana..._Crystal_Skull

[Phil Clark]

If I were an actor, and got an offer to do a film and it was a Steven Spielberg film... I would say yes automatically and just show up and say "What do I do Mr. Spielberg?"

[Sighphi]

The old days of stars being forced to do a film is over. Stars today reject numerous scripts for sequels and projects a lot. The whole mandate that since Snipes signed for the 3 films , he had to do the film and would have have to do it without script unseen is really something I'm sure his agent would be screaming over. Because no agent is gonna let their star agree to film anything without a script to be seen or read.

I'm sorry but multi-picture contracts still exist.
In this very board there is a thread were Hugo Weaving says he doesnt want to play Red Skull again but he signed a contract so he has to do it.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

I'm sorry but multi-picture contracts still exist.
In this very board there is a thread were Hugo Weaving says he doesnt want to play Red Skull again but he signed a contract so he has to do it.

I doubt he does unless he wants to. Stars sign for movies and some don't come back. Its a free country , if Weaving doesn't want to he will break the contract and likely not do another film for Marvel.

[7thangel]

Hell, there's a long-standing rumor, that she's never refuted AFAIK, that the reason Halle Berry is deaf in one ear is from Weslely hitting her when they dated years ago.

and she hasn't refuted the other names that have been rumoured to be the culprit.

[Surtur]

As I was watching Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull last night , I went online and read about the film. What was interesting was the reaction of the stars of the film and how they agreed to do it.

Shia LaBeouf - He signed on the moment Spielberg called him and offered him the role. He didn't even know what character he was playing and didn't even ask to look at the script.

Ray Winstone- Got offered the part in the movie but asked to see the script 1st to read about his part.

John Hurt - He too wanted to see the script 1st before taking the role.


It was interesting to read this at a link and have the stars basically admit they wanted to see the scripts 1st before accepting and Shia was so excited he was like...fuck looking at the script ..its an Indiana Jones movie.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana..._Crystal_Skull

Heh I saw it on last night as well and also looked it up, but then I ended up reading about the Young Indiana Jones tv show.

Though it makes sense Shia would agree without reading the script. He's a young actor and being in an Indiana Jones movie has/had the potential to really boost his career. Whereas someone like John Hurt has already done a crapload of stuff. Funny enough I say that as I am watching an episode of Merlin(he voices the dragon).

[kalorama]

I doubt he does unless he wants to. Stars sign for movies and some don't come back.

Examples?

Its a free country , if Weaving doesn't want to he will break the contract and likely not do another film for Marvel.

It's also possible that they could take him to court. Is it likely? Who knows? But the notion that people can just walk away from legally binding contracts without any expectation of consequences is just wishful thinking. The country ain't that free.

[kalorama]

I'm sorry but multi-picture contracts still exist.
In this very board there is a thread were Hugo Weaving says he doesnt want to play Red Skull again but he signed a contract so he has to do it.

Every principle actor in the Marvel Studio films signed multi-picture deals, some for as many as 9 films.

[Professor Moriarty]

did Wesley Snipes at least help Patton Oswalt cheat on his taxes?

[Alex]

I started reading this thread with the first post, and by post 10 was laughing out loud.
CBR is one of the funniest places on the internet.