AAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!! I was just over at Hollywood Reporter where Zorianna Kit and Chris Gennusa were reporting about how LL COOL J had signed on to ROLLERBALL when I read the following paragraph:
The new version, set in 2005 and last scripted by John Pogue ("The Skulls"), tells the story of Rollerball superstars (Klein, LL Cool J) who clash with the team's owner, a ruthless and unscrupulous Russian businessman who will even resort to murder to win higher ratings for the game.
And about blew a gasket. Now, before I start ranting and raving and screaming and throwing furniture... Let me just hope and pray that 1) I'm overreacting profusely, 2) H.R. got the story about as right as that story that hit the trades about everyone deferring their salaries on PEARL HARBOR and 3) That McTiernan quickly realizes that they had a wonderful draft of ROLLERBALL which was better in every single possible facet to the original, and that this plotline of the basic evil Russian Businessman wanting higher ratings bullshit will sell about as well as RUNNING MAN did!
About 1030 AICN stories ago, I filed a report about A script draft by David Campbell Wilson that was just FANTASTIC. As a ROLLERBALL fan, it both honored the game while making it more exciting. It also painted a complete universe where it made sense that a Corporate Soceity would exist.... and why the game was necessary to subdue the sheep. It reflected upon the materialistic nature of society... the limited access to information... the lack of personal identities and heroes. How one man can't make a difference or stand for anything, and how someone like a Jonathon... a mere athlete threatened the very existence of the status quo (Ali anyone?). Now... They have had the genius behind the script for U.S. MARSHALLS and THE SKULLS come in to FIX a wonderful screenplay. Now it's about ratings and what sounds like a stereotyped single bad man with a Russian Accent wanting higher ratings. GOD I HOPE THAT'S BAD INFORMATION, cause if this is as bad as it sounds... My god, my interest on this project just plummeted through the ground. And I'm the sort of fan of ROLLERBALL that not only bought the DVD, but also purchased a 16mm film print of the movie, has a poster in my room and is a huge fan of the Houston Energy team. Here's an excerpt from the review I wrote of the script... what feels like years ago. God I hate these things....
Well... I’m proud to say that at least within the first draft by David Campbell Wilson, well... In almost every single facet it is an improved reconception of the original. At least on the printed page.
There are major changes here and there, but basically the film is structured almost exactly the same. With the only major sequence left out being the smart water computer.... That is gone.
The film begins with a history lesson which gives you an absolutely perfect idea of how the world came to be the way it is at the time this film takes place. Which is the 25th century... Twiki is nowhere to be seen. I don’t want to spoil this history, but I will say that today’s story on CBS NIGHTLY NEWS about mosquitoes, birds, ticks and a new deadly virus that came to the United States... well, it sent shivers down my screwed up back (btw...the reason there was no update was I wrenched the hell out of my back and have been trying to unwrench it for the past 24)
Our hero is still Jonathan (no E), but fans know him as only Energy Player 6, Captain. Thereby stripping him of individuality. He’s just a number on a team made up of other numbers, who often times have different faces from game to game. His face has been the same, in the same jersey for a long time now. People know his number. And over his career he has been developing an amazing following... though he is just another number.
What I like most about this script is the creation of this Corporate Society. It’s scary. It seems possible. Everything is visual now. There are no books. In fact all the workers... well... they can’t read. They only know what they need to know. Excess knowledge and thought limits productivity.
So true... but it is those very thoughts that allow us to be human. The game seems to be changed just a bit. Though... as written I can’t really see it without thinking of the original filmed game. I believe this version of the game is far more violent and cruel.
The rule changes are harsher. And this film is intense. The script is far darker than the original film. And is frankly... a bit unsettling. The last three pages literally made me stop... and just shake my head... and go, “Holy shit.”
Now the scary thing I’ve heard is that this film had ‘script problems’. That it was in rewrite hell. GOD, I hope this isn’t so. This was a mean ol script. And the ending would leave the audience stunned and blown away. Fantastic. It’s funny. From the opening, I thought I had figured the whole film out. (BUZZER SOUND) That’s right... it didn’t go that way.
Moonpie is now known as Catnip.... Personally... I like Moonpie. You learn much more about the world that created this game.... In the original, we never really went behind the scenes of the Corporate world. See them. Hear their decision making process. This time... we really get to have a look at the beast.
McTiernan has the ability to direct this script, but the key is going to be in getting an EXTREMELY charismatic actor who can play early to mid thirties to play this role. Russell Crowe most likely won’t go near the film because of his similar work in GLADIATOR. Personally... I’d love to see either Chow Yun Fat or Nicholas Cage or George Clooney in this role. It is a tough and hard film to make. But the script really did fix a crapload of the holes in the original. In this screenplay... it’s not just the game that is scary... but the entire world.
