Valkyrie (film)

Infobox Film
name = Valkyrie


image_size =
caption = Theatrical poster
director = Bryan Singer
producer = Christopher McQuarrie
Bryan Singer
Gilbert Adler
Chris Lee
writer = Christopher McQuarrie
Nathan Alexander
starring = Tom Cruise Christian Berkel Kenneth Branagh Kevin McNally Carice van Houten Bill Nighy David Schofield Terence Stamp
music = John Ottman
cinematography = Newton Thomas Sigel
editing = John Ottman
distributor = Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
United Artists
released = December 26, 2008
runtime =
country = United States
language = English
budget = $100 million (reported)
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0985699

"Valkyrie" is a 2008 historical thriller film directed by Bryan Singer and starring Tom Cruise. The film is based on the July 20 plot of German army officers to assassinate Adolf Hitler and marks the re-teaming of Singer and producer/screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie. Cruise will portray the leader of the plot, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg. Cruise's casting caused controversy among German politicians and members of Stauffenberg's family due to the actor's practice of Scientology, though German newspapers and filmmakers gave support to the film to spread global awareness of von Stauffenberg's attempted plot. The filmmakers of "Valkyrie" initially had difficulty setting up filming locations in Germany, but they were later given leeway to film in locations pertaining to the film's story, such as Berlin's historic Bendlerblock. The release date for "Valkyrie" has changed numerous times, including a brief move to February 14, 2009. After several positive test screenings, the film's release was moved up to December 26, 2008.

Premise

During World War II, German Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Cruise) is severely wounded in Africa and returns home to Nazi Germany. Stauffenberg helps conceive Operation Valkyrie, a plan approved by Adolf Hitler which, in order to manage turmoil within Germany, would implement a shadow government in the event of the Nazi Führer's death. The Colonel eventually joins the German Resistance and becomes part of the July 20 plot, a conspiracy to assassinate Hitler and execute "Valkyrie" in order to take control of the country and make peace with the Allies. Stauffenberg finds himself taking on not only the responsibility of leading the coup, but also the task to assassinate Hitler himself.cite news | author=United Artists | url=http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=22228 | title="Valkyrie" Begins Principal Photography in Berlin | work=ComingSoon.net | date=2007-07-19 | accessdate=2007-07-19 ]

Cast

*Tom Cruise as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, a German World War II colonel and Catholic aristocrat who leads the plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler. Describing Stauffenberg's heroism, Cruise said "I thought of it in terms of what Stauffenberg represents. He was someone who realized that he had to take the steps that ultimately cost him his life... He recognized what was at stake." Stauffenberg lost his left eye, right hand and two fingers on his left hand in an Allied attack in Tunisia, so Cruise affected the same disabilities to practice dressing, moving items and writing.cite news | author=Ruben V. Nepales | url=http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/entertainment/entertainment/view_article.php?article_id=85694 | title=In Berlin with Tom Cruise, on the set of ‘Valkyrie’ | work=Philippine Daily Inquirer | date=2007-08-31 | accessdate=2007-09-14 ] Until reading the script, Cruise knew little of von Stauffenberg's part in the plot. Cruise prepared for the role for eight months; he hired a researcher, studied history books, and spoke with some of von Stauffenberg's family.
*Kenneth Branagh as Major General Henning von Tresckow, the architect of the plot.cite news | title = On a mission to kill Hitler, Tom Cruise and his conspirators | work = Daily Mail | date = 2007-09-05 | url = http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=479979&in_page_id=1811 | accessdate=2007-09-05]
*Christian Berkel as Colonel Albrecht Mertz von Quirnheim.
*Bill Nighy as General Friedrich Olbricht.
*David Schofield as Field Marshal Erwin von Witzleben.
*Terrence Stamp as Colonel General Ludwig Beck, former Heer chief of staff.
*Kevin McNally as Carl Goerdeler, former Oberbürgermeister of Leipzig.

Others:
*Carice van Houten as von Stauffenberg's wife, Nina Schenk Gräfin von Stauffenberg. [cite news | author=Tatiana Siegel | coauthors=Borys Kit |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3ib6d2c95cdf6b2ef3b76ecd1dacace492 | title=Van Houten joins Cruise for 'Valkyrie' | work=The Hollywood Reporter | date=2007-06-19 | accessdate=2007-07-07 ]
*David Bamber as Adolf Hitler.
*Eddie Izzard as Erich Fellgiebel.cite news | title=Valkyrie (2008) | work=Hollywood.com | url = http://www.hollywood.com/movie/Valkyrie/3680698 | accessdate=2007-08-22]
*Tom Wilkinson as Friedrich Fromm.cite news | title=We knew the VALKYRIE, but what of the rest? | work=Ain't It Cool News | url = http://www.aintitcool.com/node/33052 | date=2007-06-19 | accessdate=2007-06-19]
*Thomas Kretschmann as Otto Ernst Remer. [cite news | title=Sie gab Tom Cruise einen Korb | work=Bild.de | date= 2007-07-08 | url = http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/leute/2007/07/08/lara-alexandra-maria/cruise-tom-absage.html | language=German | accessdate=2007-07-08]
*Gerhard Haase-Hindenberg as Hermann Göring.cite news | title = Valkyrie: Die Besetzung| work = Berliner Morgenpost | date = 2007-08-21 | url = http://www.morgenpost.de/appl/bildershow/index.php?id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.welt.de%2Fberlin%2Farticle1120026.xmli&action=uebersicht | language=German| accessdate = 2007-08-21]
*Anton Algrang as Albert Speer. [cite news | author= | url=http://www.agentur-breilmann.de/detail.php?nummer=28&active=news&jahr=2007&monat=oktober#top | title=Agentur Breilmann | work=Agentur Breilmann | date= | language=German | accessdate=2007-10-14]
*Matthias Freihof as Heinrich Himmler. [cite news | author= | url=http://www.rp-online.de/public/article/regional/duesseldorf/duesseldorf-stadt/nachrichten/469770 | title=Von der Komödie zum Kinofilm | work=RP Online | date=2007-08-17 | language=German | accessdate=2007-08-17 ]

Stephen Fry, [cite news | author= | url=http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=21382 | title=Germany Bans "Valkyrie" Filming Due to Scientology | work=ComingSoon.net | date=2007-06-25 | accessdate=2007-06-27 ] Ian McNeice,cite news | title = How Tom Cruise found his Nazi lookalike in Valkyrie | work = The Daily Telegraph | date = 2007-09-21 | url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2007/09/21/bftom121.xml&page=1 | accessdate=2007-10-02] and Tom Hollander will appear in the film. Patrick Wilson was originally cast in "Valkyrie", but he dropped out due to scheduling conflicts and other unspecified reasons. [cite news | author=Max Evry | url=http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=21105 | title= Exclusive: Patrick Wilson on "Evening" | work=ComingSoon.net | date=2007-06-22 | accessdate=2007-08-18 ] Some of the non-German actors initially experimented with German accents, but Singer discarded the idea, instead instructing them to adopt neutral accents that " [wouldn't] distract from the story".

Production

Development

After director Bryan Singer completed the three major productions "X-Men" (2000), "X2" (2003) and "Superman Returns" (2006), he sought a smaller project before embarking upon the (eventually aborted) Superman sequel. [cite news | author=Scott Chitwood | title=Exclusive: Singer on "Superman" Sequel & DVD | work=Superhero Hype! | date=2006-07-22 | url=http://www.superherohype.com/news/featuresnews.php?id=4542 | accessdate=2007-05-22] In late 2006, Singer learned that screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie had developed a World War II screenplay with Nathan Alexander. Set in Nazi Germany, it was framed as a thriller that would be a multi-character ensemble piece. Singer expressed interest in directing and McQuarrie suggested they bring the project to United Artists partners Paula Wagner and Tom Cruise, who immediately agreed to finance the film in March of 2007. [cite news | author=Michael Fleming | url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117961116.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 | title=United Artists grabs Singer thriller | work=Variety | date=2007-03-13 | accessdate=2007-04-09 ] The script is based on the actual events of German generals plotting to assassinate Adolf Hitler during World War II. Singer invited Tom Cruise to take the lead role, which Cruise accepted. [cite news | author=Michael Fleming | url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117961510.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 | title=Cruise set for Singer's WWII film | work=Variety | date=2007-03-20 | accessdate=2007-04-09 ] Cruise had been provided a picture of Stauffenberg, in which the actor noticed a similarity in his profile with the German colonel, drawing him to the role. [cite news | author=Karen Nickel Anhalt | url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20053989,00.html | title=Tom Cruise Breaks Silence Over German Film | work=People | date=2007-08-30 | accessdate=2007-09-14 ]

The producers of "Valkyrie" expressed interest in filming at Bendlerblock, a memorialized location where Stauffenberg and his comrades had plotted to assassinate Hitler. Germany's Finance Ministry had originally denied the producers the right to film at Bendlerblock, explaining that the site should be treated as a "place of remembrance and mourning" which would "lose dignity if we were to exploit it as a film set". The producers were also denied a request to film at a Berlin police station by the department, citing adverse impact to the facility.cite news | author=Ed Meza | url=http://www.variety.com/VR1117968004.html | title=Tom Cruise pic verboten in Berlin | work=Variety | date=2007-07-03 | accessdate=2007-07-05 ] The German government eventually had a change of heart concerning the Bendlerblock site and gave permission for filmmakers to shoot there.cite news | author= Erik Kirschbaum | url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117971981.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 | title='Valkyrie' allowed into Bendlerblock | work=Variety | date=2007-09-14 | accessdate=2007-09-14 ] A United Artists spokesman said that they were "very grateful" for the decision, saying that the site " [had] always been important to us symbolically, creatively and for the sake of historical authenticity" and that the company had been in continuous talks with the German government in order to clear up any misconceptions about the nature of the film. [cite news | author= Brian Parkin | url= http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/lifestyle/story.html?id=2d42ada2-de8b-487c-bbac-72ff1dc8cf37 | title= Germany allows Cruise to film at historical site |work=Bloomberg L.P. | date=2007-09-17 | accessdate=2007-10-15]

Filming

Production began on July 18 2007 in Berlin.cite news | author=Gina Piccalo | url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-et-valkyrie20jul20,1,414286.story?coll=la-headlines-entnews | title=Tom Cruise battles Hitler | work=Los Angeles Times | date=2007-07-20 | accessdate=2007-08-18 ] The German Federal Film Fund issued €4.8 million [cite news | author=Tobias Kniebe | url=http://www.sueddeutsche.de/,ra4m3/kultur/artikel/955/124772/ | title=Schluss mit "Stupid German Money" | work=Süddeutsche Zeitung | date=2007-07-24 | accessdate=2007-07-24 ] (US$6.64 million) to United Artists to assist with production, adding to an initial total of a US$80 million production budget, two-thirds of which were spent in Germany.cite news | author=Ed Metzger | url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117968064.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 | title=German gov offers cash for 'Valkyrie' | work=Variety | date=2007-07-05 | accessdate=2007-07-05 ] The filmmakers received permission to film at Tempelhof International Airport's Columbia Haus, a former Nazi jail for political prisoners. Production also involved World War II planes with swastikas painted on the sides, practicing in the airspace above Brandenburg. Around 70 sets were built for the film.cite journal | title=The Winter Preview | journal=Total Film | publisher=Future Publishing | issue=146 | pages=61-64 | month=October | year=2008 | accessdate=2008-09-19 ] A replica set of Hitler's Eastern front headquarters Wolf's Lair was constructed 60 kilometers south of Berlin, though the headquarters' actual location was in modern-day Poland. Filming also took place in some of the houses which were used to hide the bombs in 1944. The production made use of surviving Nazi relics, including furniture used by the Reich Ministry and objects that once adorned Hitler's desk. Nazi symbols, the display of which is usually illegal in Germany, were also used at several locations, and while the filmmakers gave forewarnings to local residents, a passerby witnessing the use of swastikas during filming in Berlin filed an official complaint with the city. Similar charges have also been filed against the owners of sites set up to show Nazi displays for the film's production. Filming has also taken place at Babelsberg Studios. [cite news | author=Harry de Quetteville | url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/19/wnazi119.xml | title= Hitler plot film sees Nazi studio rise again | work=The Daily Telegraph | date=2007-07-23 | accessdate=2007-11-08 ] During filming on August 19, 2007, eleven people were hurt when the side panel of a truck they were riding broke, with one person requiring hospitalization. [cite news | author= | url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Movies/08/20/cruise.berlin.reut/index.html | title= 11 hurt at Tom Cruise film shoot | work=CNN | date=2007-08-20 | accessdate=2007-08-20 ] They demanded $11 million in compensation. [cite news|author=Kevin Reynolds|title='Valkyrie' extras ignore settlement offer|work=Digital Spy|date=2008-08-29|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a127748/valkyrie-extras-ignore-settlement-offer.html|accessdate=2008-08-29]

Before filming the scene of Stauffenberg's execution at Bendlerblock, Tom Cruise led the cast and crew in holding a moment of silence, [cite news | author= | url=http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2795103,00.html | title=Tom Cruise Marks Disputed Filming With Moment of Silence | work=Deutsche Welle | date=2007-09-24 | accessdate=2007-11-08 ] "out of respect for the place and out of respect for the life achievement of these people who were executed there," according to actor Christian Berkel. [cite news | author= | url=http://www.lifetimetv.com/lifestyle/entertainment/tom-cruise-pays-respects-anti-hitler-heroes | title=Tom Cruise Pays Respects to Anti-Hitler Heroes | work=Lifetime Television | date=2007-09-23 | accessdate=2007-11-08 ] After filming of the scene was completed, the footage was sent to be developed for the post-production process at a processing plant in Germany. The wrong chemical was accidentally used in development, damaging the film and requiring the crew to seek permission from the government to re-shoot the scenes. Permission was granted and a spokesman for the film indicated the schedule and budget had not been affected. [cite news | author= | url=http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2186853,00.html | title=Cruise's Valkyrie suffers new setback | work=guardian.co.uk | date=2007-10-09 | accessdate=2007-11-08 ] [cite news | author= | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7037105.stm | title=Technical setback for Cruise film | work=BBC News Online | date=2007-10-10 | accessdate=2007-10-10 ]

After the production was unable to find a suitable location for the key battle sequence at the beginning of the film set in North Africa, in which von Stauffenberg loses his eye and hand, production was halted while locations were scouted. In April 2008, Singer was reported to film the desert sequences in the coming two months, possibly in the United States. In the following June, production took place in Victor Valley, California. [cite news | first=Brooke | last=Edwards | url=http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/valley_7162___article.html/victor_apple.html | title=Tom Cruise films World War II drama in Victor Valley | work=Victorville Daily Press | publisher=Freedom Communications, Inc | date=2008-06-26 | accessdate=2008-07-11 ] The overall cost of production was not revealed by the studio, but it reportedly cost $100 million.

Post-production

The film's visual effects are being created by Sony Pictures Imageworks. [cite news | url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ie4014cd99a43c45eb9d280d73cb9236d | title=G-Force' is with Imageworks | author=Carolyn Giardina | work=The Hollywood Reporter | publisher=The Nielsen Company | date=2008-07-01 | accessdate=2008-07-01 ] In the post-production process, editor and composer John Ottman edited the film without a temp track. Ottman originally planned to compose a minimal score to "Valkyrie", but found that despite the film's dialogue-heavy nature, the film needed music to create a thriller atmosphere. Ottman described the new approach, "It's very much like "Usual Suspects" – in order to keep the tension going in a scene where there's really a lot of dialogue, we had to rely on a lot of score. But the score is done in a very sort of pulsating, subliminal way. It's not an expository score, it's more like a running pulse going through the movie." [cite news | first=Kevin | last=Cassidy | url=http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUKN3039794720080731 | title=Frustrated music lovers have a score to settle | work=The Hollywood Reporter | publisher=Reuters | date=2008-07-31 | accessdate=2008-08-06 ]

German response

Quote_box|width=40% |align=right |quote=Stauffenberg played an important role in the military resistance against the Nazi regime and in the [German military's] self-perception [...] A sincere and respectable depiction of the events of the 20th of July and of Stauffenberg is therefore very much in Germany's interest. Tom Cruise, with his Scientology background, is not the right person for this.|source=—German Defense Ministry Spokesperson Harald Kammerbauer, June 2007.cite news | author=Andrew Purvis | url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1662534,00.html | title=Cruise Film Gets German OK | work=Time | date=2007-09-17 | accessdate=2007-11-08 ] In June 2007, prior to production, a German Defense Ministry spokesperson said that filming of "Valkyrie" would not be allowed at the country's military sites if protagonist Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg was portrayed by Tom Cruise, due to the actor's adherence to Scientology, which has been labeled a dangerous cult by the German authorities. The spokesperson further indicated that the ministry had not at that time received official filming requests from "Valkyrie"'s producers.cite news | author=Louis Charbonneau | url=http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSL253889920070625?feedType=RSS&rpc=22&sp=true | title=Germany bans Cruise film shoot from military sites | publisher=Reuters | date=2007-06-25 | accessdate=2007-06-25 ] Colonel von Stauffenberg's son also voiced concerns over Cruise's portrayal of his father, saying that he would not oppose the film's production, but hoped that Cruise would drop the role. "I fear that only terrible kitsch will come out of the project. It's bound to be rubbish," Berthold Maria Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg said. "Cruise should keep his hands off my father." [cite news | title =Son of German general fears Cruise film could become 'horrible kitsch' | work =CBC News | date=2007-06-24 | url=http://www.cbc.ca/arts/film/story/2007/06/24/cruise-nazi-film.html | accessdate=2007-06-26 ] Later in the month, the ministry reversed its stance and welcomed production of "Valkyrie". The initial controversy reportedly stemmed from German member of parliament Antje Blumenthal, an authority on cults for the conservative Christian Democratic Union and well-known opponent of Scientology, who had claimed that the German Defense Minister had assured her that the film would not be shot in the country. [cite news | author = Scott Roxborough | title = Germany OK with 'Valkyrie' filming | work = The Hollywood Reporter | date = 2007-06-29 | url = http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3icab172bb79f71a07da8c8aa1905de220 | accessdate=2007-06-29] In addition, Cruise was attacked by junior politicians such as Rudolf Köberle, the state secretary for interior issues in the state of Baden-Württemberg, who also cited Cruise's affiliation with Scientology.cite news | author= | url=http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2700424,00.html | title=Plotter's Grandson Cast in Hitler Movie with Tom Cruise | work=Deutsche Welle | date=2007-07-21 | accessdate=2007-07-23 ] Thomas Gandow, a spokesperson for the German Protestant Church, said Cruise's involvement in the film would "have the same propaganda advantages for Scientology as the 1936 Olympics had for the Nazis" and compared the actor to Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels. [cite news | author=Jeannette Wells | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19621269/ | title=Tom Cruise — 'the Goebbels of Scientology'? | work=msnbc.com | date=2007-07-24 | accessdate=2007-11-08 ]

Quote_box|width=40% |align=left |quote=Some of the family have spoken out because they don't think it will do the story justice and others don't think the casting is ideal, but I totally disagree, especially after I met Tom and saw how he is approaching the role with such professionalism. I think most of the family are curious to see the finished film.|source=—Philipp von Schulthess, grandson of Colonel von Stauffenberg, September 2007.cite news | author=John Hiscock | url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2007/09/21/bftom121.xml | title= How Tom Cruise found his Nazi lookalike in Valkyrie | work=The Daily Telegraph | date=2007-09-21 | accessdate=2007-11-08 ] The film subsequently found some local support in Germany. Director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck considered Cruise's involvement would promote awareness of a neglected story, and veteran German actor Armin Mueller-Stahl also gave his support to the production.cite news | author= | url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,495181,00.html | title=Cruise Gets Green Light to Film at Tempelhof Airport | work=Der Spiegel | date=2007-07-18 | accessdate=2007-07-19 ] A grandson of Colonel von Stauffenberg, who is appearing in the film as an assistant, hailed Cruise's professionalism and indicated that most of his family were curious to see the finished product. In September 2007, when the Defense Ministry initially denied permission for filming at the Bendlerblock memorial, support for the film came in from German newspaper columnists and filmmakers, including director Wolfgang Petersen and Frank Schirrmacher, journalist and co-publisher of the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung". Schirrmacher visited the set and agreed that the film would advance global awareness of the German Resistance. Ultimately granting access to the Bendlerblock after reviewing the script, the Defense Ministry said it showed that "barbarism didn't triumph but led to the founding of a democratic Germany". Ursula Caberta, who is in charge of a German government office which monitors Scientology, was disappointed in the ministry's decision, saying, "Tom Cruise [is] a figurehead of an anti-constitutional organization, and he should be treated that way."

A spokesperson for Scientology in Berlin, Sabine Weber, said in August 2007 that she was "shocked" by German politicians' criticisms, adding that it was a "call to discrimination" against someone based on their religious beliefs. [cite news | author=David Rising | url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/orl-cruisegermany07aug28,0,6288410.story | title=Risky business? Cruise cast as German war hero | work=Orlando Sentinel | date=2007-08-28 | accessdate=2007-09-14 ] In the same month, Cruise suggested to his critics that they see the film before denouncing it. [cite news | author= | url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,502889,00.html | title='I Bear a Great Responsibility to Stauffenberg' | work=Der Spiegel | date=2007-08-30 | accessdate=2007-09-14 ] In October 2007, fellow "Valkyrie" actor Kenneth Branagh said that the issue had been "largely exaggerated" and that the German official who initially incited the complaints contacted the production one week into filming to apologize, after reading the script and realizing he had misinterpreted the film's plot.cite news | author= | url= | title=German official apologises for trying to ban Cruise | publisher=World Entertainment News Network | date=2007-10-09 ]

In November 2007, the head of the German Resistance Memorial Center warned against any potential "myth formation" around von Stauffenberg as a result of the film, urging that any understanding of the Colonel must also be informed by the fact that he had been loyal to the Nazi cause for most of his military career. [cite web | url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,517804,00.html | author= | title=The 'Myth' of the Would-Be Hitler Assassin | work = Der Spiegel | date=2007-11-16 | accessdate=2007-11-18 ] In the same month Cruise was given a Bambi courage award, presented by German media company Hubert Burda Media, "for tackling a story that had never been covered by Hollywood before". [cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7120625.stm | title=Cruise wins German courage prize | work=BBC News Online | date=2007-11-30 | accessdate=2007-12-03 ]

Release

"Valkyrie" was originally slated to be released in August 8, 2008, [cite news | title = Valkyrie Targets 8-8-08 | work = ComingSoon.net | date = 2007-07-17 | url = http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=22094 | accessdate=2007-07-17] but the film was moved up earlier to be released in June 27, 2008. [cite news | author= | url=http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=37367 | title="Valkyrie" Allowed Into Bendlerblock After All | work=ComingSoon.net | date=2007-09-14 | accessdate=2007-09-19 ] The release date was again moved, to October 3, 2008 to avoid competition from "WALL-E" and the delayed "Wanted", [cite news | title = Valkyrie Scrubs Mission Against WALL•E, Wanted | work = ComingSoon.net | date = 2007-12-15 | url = http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=40246 | accessdate=2007-12-15] and to enable the filming of a key battle sequence, after the production was unable to find a suitable location for the scenes.cite news | url=http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=089fcf87-a38f-4faf-8ad0-f057c7d9a47c | title=Cruise's Valkyrie Grounded | author=Josh Grossberg | work=E! News | date=2007-12-18 | accessdate=2007-12-19] The date was also chosen to increase the film's chances of awards success. [cite news | url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117983222.html | title=2008 awards season shaping up | author=Pamela McClintock | work=Variety | date=2008-03-31 | accessdate=2008-04-01 ] In April 2008, the release date was pushed back to February 13, 2009, with the studio citing the early fall schedule as too crowded with Academy Award prospects. "Valkyrie" would have taken advantage of the lucrative President's Day weekend, after "The Wolf Man" and "The Pink Panther 2" were moved from this date. [cite news | url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i775aad50a32da1ae5a6ad70e3ba961e4 | title=MGM delays 'Valkyrie' release again | author=Carl DiOrio | work=The Hollywood Reporter | date=2008-04-07 | accessdate=2008-04-08 ] By August 2008, the release date was changed to December 26, 2008 with reports citing commercial reasons for the move after a successful test screening. [cite journal | first= | last= | url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117990514.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&nid=2564 | title='Valkyrie' cruises back to '08 slate | journal=Variety | publisher=Reed Business Information | date=2008-08-13 | accessdate=2008-08-13 ]

The theatrical trailer for "Valkyrie" has received "mixed buzz" over Tom Cruise portraying Stauffenberg with an American accent. [cite news | author=Merissa Marr | url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120665977580270081.html?mod=googlenews_wsj | title=Mission Possible: Redstone, Cruise Re-Establish Ties | publisher=Wall Street Journal | date=2008-03-28 | accessdate=2008-05-01 ] The attempted resurgence of the studio United Artists under producers Cruise and Paula Wagner placed pressure on "Valkyrie" to perform well following the poor box office debut of "Lions for Lambs" and the canceled production of "Pinkville". [cite news | author=Associated Press | url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/72269/output/print | title=Mission possible: Reviving movie studio | work=Newsweek | date=2007-11-26 | accessdate=2007-12-10 ] Wagner later left her position with the studio during post-production of "Valkyrie". [cite news|author=Michael Fleming|title=Paula Wagner leaves UA|work=Variety|date=2008-08-13|url=http://www.variety.com/VR1117990504.html|accessdate=2008-08-14] The postponed release of "Valkyrie" drew criticism about the viability of United Artists, and the studio aimed to combat the criticism leading up to the film's eventual release.cite news | author=Michael Cieply | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/movies/23cruis.html?ex=1366689600&en=342a923cc642016b&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss | title=The Nazi Plot That’s Haunting Tom Cruise and United Artists | work=The New York Times | date=2008-04-23 | accessdate=2008-04-23 ] Actor Bill Nighy, a German general in the film, disagreed with criticism affecting the film's release, ascribing the postponement to shooting extra scenes set in North Africa, where Stauffenberg had lost his eye. [cite news | first=Shawn | last=Adler | url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1591859/story.jhtml | title=Tom Cruise's Much-Delayed 'Valkyrie' Isn't A Dud, Co-Star Bill Nighy Insists | work=MTV | date=2008-07-30 | accessdate=2008-08-06 ] In July 2008, United Artists president of worldwide marketing Dennis Rice was replaced by Michael Vollman, who was tasked to develop a marketing strategy for the "troubled" "Valkyrie", [cite news | url=http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-briefs17-2008jul17,0,7080085.story | title=Business Briefing | work=Los Angeles Times | publisher=Tribune Company | date=2008-07-17 | accessdate=2008-08-06 ] which had been "battered by constant media sniping". [cite news | url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2008/07/meet-tom-cruise.html | title=Meet Tom Cruise's new best friend | work=Los Angeles Times | publisher=Tribune Company | date=2008-07-16 | accessdate=2008-08-06 ]

References

External links

*imdb title|id=0985699|title=Valkyrie
* [http://valkyrie.unitedartists.com/ Official site]
* [http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/valkyrie.html?showVideo=1 Official trailer and production photographs]
* [http://www.apple.com/trailers/mgm/valkyrie/featurette/ Behind-the-scenes featurette]