Atlas Shrugged (film)

Infobox Film
name = Atlas Shrugged
writer = Novel:
Ayn Rand
Screenplay:
Randall Wallace James V. Hart Vadim Perelman David Kelley
starring = Angelina Jolie
Brad Pitt
director =
producer = John Aglialoro
Howard Baldwin
Karen Baldwin
Michael Burns
music =
distributor = - USA -
Lions Gate Entertainment
released = expected 2009
runtime = 2½ hours
country = USA
language = English
budget = $70 million

"Atlas Shrugged" is a film in active development by Baldwin Entertainment Group and Lions Gate Entertainment. Based on Ayn Rand’s 1957 novel "Atlas Shrugged", a two-part draft screenplay written by James V. Hart was developed into a 127-page screenplay by writer-director Randall Wallace. [cite web |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117971319.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 |title=Vadim Perelman to direct 'Atlas' |accessdate=2007-09-19 |last=Fleming |first=Michael |date=2007-09-04 |publisher=Variety ]

Angelina Jolie has been confirmed to play the role of Dagny Taggart, and there are discussions with Russell Crowe to play the part of Hank Rearden. [http://www.theatlasphere.com/columns/080225-aglialoro-atlas-shrugged-movie.php John Aglialoro on the Atlas Shrugged Movie] ] Brad Pitt is rumored to be cast in a yet unspecified role. Both Jolie and Pitt are fans of Rand's works.cite web |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117942127.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 |title=Lionsgate shrugging |accessdate=2007-09-19 |last=McClintock |first=Pamela |date=2006-04-26 |publisher=Variety ] The role of the mysterious John Galt is likely to be played by an unknown. Vadim Perelman ("House of Sand and Fog") had been confirmed to direct, [cite web |url=http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7008433844 |title=Vadim Perelman To Rewrite And Direct "Atlas Shrugged" |accessdate=2007-09-19 |last=Bansal |first=Shaveta |date=2008-09-06 |publisher=All Headline News ] but as of June 18, 2008 is no longer attached to the project.imdb_title|id=0480239|title=Atlas Shrugged] Lions Gate Entertainment picked up worldwide distribution rights. The film was expected to be released in 2009.

Jolie's 2008 pregnancy and Perelman's departure has cast the project into doubt. [ [http://www.imdb.com/news/ni0247628/ Jolie Fears She's Missed Out On Atlas Film With Pitt] , Imdb.com] Asof|2008|September, the Internet Movie Database lists the film's development status as "unknown".

Plot

Differences between the film's plot and the novel's plot have not been announced. For a plot synopsis of the novel see "Atlas Shrugged".

Development history

Atlas Shrugged has been in "development hell" for 35 years. In 1972, Albert S. Ruddy approached Ayn Rand to produce a cinematic adaptation of Atlas Shrugged. Rand insisted on having final script approval, to which Ruddy would not agree. Consequently the project was shelved.

Rand received other offers and in 1978 Henry and Michael Jaffe negotiated a deal for an eight-hour miniseries on NBC. Michael Jaffe hired screenwriter Sterling Silliphant to adapt the novel and he obtained approval from Rand on the final script. However, in 1979 with Fred Silverman’s rise as president of NBC, the project was scrapped.

Rand, a former Hollywood screenwriter herself, began writing her own screenplay but died in 1982 with only a third of it finished. She left her estate to her student Leonard Peikoff who sold an option to Michael Jaffe and Ed Snider. Peikoff would not approve the script and the deal fell through.

In 1992 investor and Objectivist John Aglialoro bought an option to produce the film, paying Peikoff over $1 million for full creative control.

In 1999, under Aglialoro’s sponsorship, Albert Ruddy negotiated a deal with TNT for a four-hour miniseries but the project was killed after the AOL Time Warner merger. After the TNT deal fell through Howard and Karen Baldwin obtained the rights while running Phillip Anschutz's Crusader Entertainment. The Baldwins left Crusader and formed Baldwin Entertainment Group taking the rights to Atlas Shrugged with them. Michael Burns of Lions Gate approached the Baldwins to fund and distribute Atlas Shrugged. Baldwin Entertainment Group purchased the film rights in 2003.

ee also

*"The Fountainhead" (film)

References

External links

*
* [http://www.iht.com/bin/print.php?id=4168964 The challenge of distilling Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged"]