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News
Denzel, Crowe, and Sir Ridley go "Gangster"
by Scott Weinberg | February 14, 2006
Discuss Article
Looks like Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington might soon be having a reunion, and no it's not a sequel to "Virtuosity." Ridley Scott is in talks to direct the pair in "American Gangster," the story of a 70s-era drug lord who imported his wares through decidedly unpleasant means.

Says Variety: "Ridley Scott is in talks to direct Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington in the Brian Grazer-produced drama that had its plug pulled in late 2004 by Universal. The hope is to shoot this summer.

U brass will decide this week whether to finance or co-finance the revamped '70s crime drama, or possibly let it go. Two other studios are circling the project if U backs down.

The drama has a checkered past. In late 2004, Antoine Fuqua was a month from starting production in Harlem with Washington and Benicio Del Toro when U Pictures chairman Stacey Snider canceled the film over fear the budget would cross $100 million. Pay-or-play deals with Washington and Del Toro got settled, and the studio wrote off more than $20 million.

Imagine's Grazer, who developed the drama from a New York magazine article by Mark Jacobson, kept trying. "Hotel Rwanda" writer-director Terry George was brought on to rework Steve Zaillian's script and rein in the budget. Scott is working with George's draft.

Story revolves around a Harlem heroin kingpin who figured out a way to smuggle heroin in the coffins of American soldiers returning from the Vietnam War."

Related Items
Celeb: Russell Crowe
Benicio Del Toro
Antoine Fuqua
Brian Grazer
Ridley Scott
Denzel Washington
Steven Zaillian
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Movie: Virtuosity
Hotel Rwanda
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Comments (1-15 of 15 posts) | Reply
papaprince1018
papaprince1018 writes:
on Feb 14 2006 10:04 AM

Sounds good, different area of the drug war to make a picture about. But controversy could arrise due to the soliders of the vet. war. Who knows, someone always has something to say about every movie unless its animated, LOL

(Reply to this)
lovelykeira
lovelykeira writes:
on Feb 14 2006 11:31 AM

I really wanted to see Fuqua, Washington, and Del Toro's version, then George and Cheadle's version sounded alright, and I'd put this one in between the two. It does sound good though and I shall look forward to it.

(Reply to this)
dracus
dracus writes:
on Feb 14 2006 11:39 AM

Denzel Washington has been in need of a major boost for years now and the possibility of riding the coat tails of Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe at this stage of his mediocre career must have him and his agent salivating!

(Reply to this)
lavatory love machine
lavatory love machine writes:
on Feb 14 2006 10:47 PM

I'm not sure who plays the drug-lord

(Reply to this)
Cindy_Lou_Who
Cindy_Lou_Who writes:
on Feb 15 2006 06:34 AM

In reply to this comment (#831102)
Right on Dracus!

(Reply to this)
TheBlackGuy
TheBlackGuy writes:
on Feb 15 2006 05:10 PM

Uh, he won an Oscar

(Reply to this)
Tyree
Tyree writes:
on Feb 15 2006 06:46 PM

Yeah, Denzel sucks. Glory, Malcolm X, Philadelphia, Hurricane, and Training Day. Worst performances ever!!!!

(Reply to this)
MAT(sexymatt)
MAT(sexymatt) writes:
on Feb 15 2006 08:33 PM

In reply to this comment (#831106)
I dont know about u guys but I loved his performance in Man on Fire. That movie was excelent.

(Reply to this)
lovelykeira
lovelykeira writes:
on Feb 16 2006 12:41 PM

Man on Fire definitely kicked some ass.

(Reply to this)
Ashron
Ashron writes:
on Feb 16 2006 01:37 PM

In reply to this comment (#831106)
Flame bait I didn't see Malcolm X or Hurricane, but I personally thought Denzel did a fine job in Glory and Training Day.

(Reply to this)
phill01
phill01 writes:
on Feb 18 2006 03:13 AM

yeah Denzel was not Bad in Man on Fire.

It was Tony Scott who I was pissed of with at the end of the film


(Reply to this)
rottencapo
rottencapo writes:
on Feb 18 2006 07:33 AM

In reply to this comment (#831106)
I'm pretty sure you're being sarcastic, because having seen Glory, Malcolm X, Philadelphia, Hurricane and Man on Fire...it certainly makes be believe that he deserves more than one oscar.
As far as this movie...It sounds cool, but I liked the original movie (Superfly) that they planned, loosely based on the life of Frank Mathews, America's most Notorious Drug Kingpin that still to this day has not been caught.


(Reply to this)
TheAnswerMVP2001
TheAnswerMVP2001 writes:
on Feb 20 2006 05:36 PM

In reply to this comment (#831102)
Mediocore career??? Okay that makes absolutely no sense, seeing that he's been nominated for an Oscar for every film he has made in the past 4-5 years. I guess you missed Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind (should have won Oscar) & Cinderella Man (most underated film of the year).

(Reply to this)
dracus
dracus writes:
on Feb 21 2006 10:32 AM

In reply to this comment (#831112)
I was referring to Denzel Washington, not Russell Crowe. Washington has been going downhill since Glory and Philadelphia and I'm at a loss as to how Denzel won for Training Day over Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind. For heaven's sake, even Sean Penn would have been a better choice that year than Washington. I really like Russelll Crowe because as with Peter Jackson, he doesn't suck up to Hollywood..

(Reply to this)
TheAnswerMVP2001
TheAnswerMVP2001 writes:
on Feb 21 2006 10:44 AM

In reply to this comment (#831113)
ah yes, my bad, so many Crowe haters out there that I jumped to conclusions. And yea Russell's lack of care for Hollywood is something I like about him as well.

(Reply to this)
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