Brian De Palma has been MIA for the past little while, but not without reason. In 2006 and 2007 he delivered a double whammy of disappointments in failed noir “The Black Dahlia” and the Iraq war drama “Redacted” and he’s been trying to get something going ever since. Things were in motion for him to direct his long-gestating psychological thriller “Toyer” last fall, but it looks like the project never quite got off the ground and at the beginning of the year he signed on to direct a remake of Alain Corneau’s “Love Crime” though nothing has been heard about that since. So hopefully, this next project will actually see it’s way through to rolling in front of cameras.
De Palma is now set to take on “The Key Man,” a thriller penned by Joby Harold, the guy who wrote “All You Need Is Kill” but whose only produced credit is that ludicrous movie “Awake” where Hayden Christensen finds himself awake but paralyzed during surgery. So here’s hoping this one is a bit better than that, and at least its ambition is in the right place. Said to be a thriller in the vein of “Three Days of the Condor” and “Marathon Man” the story follows a single father who’s targeted by U.S. government agents because his body contains answers to important national secrets. Okay, so maybe it will be silly. But that said, De Palma always has a knack for turning the silly into something delightfully pulpy so this could go in fun directions we suppose.
U.S. distribution has already been acquired by Open Road and with financing in place this looks to be a sure thing. Production on the film will kick off by the end of the year. [Deadline]
I just reaad that he is out and they have hired another director, considering that he was taking his time this was hardly unexpected, i hope he still makes Toyer after Heat, this sounded perfect for De Palma, something between Blow Out nd The Fury
if there's a film that Brian De Palma should direct it is THE KEY MAN. With successful films such as THE FURY, BLOW OUT, MISSION:IMPOSSIBLE and the flawed SNAKE EYES these are the type of films De Palma does better then most. His crime thrillers SCARFACE, THE UNTOUCHABLES and CARLITO'S WAY are instant classics. CARRIE, SISTERS, OBSESSION, DRESSED TO KILL, BODY DOUBLE, FEMME FATALE and RAISING CAIN are truly twisted pyschological thrillers where CARRIE is a truly great supernatural piece of horror mixed with genuine comedy. THE BLACK DAHLIA was a massive dud! There's a 3 hour version of DAHLIA that James Ellroy has seen and refers to it as a masterpiece! De Palma had taken 60 minutes of footage out of the film because of the Producers influence and came up with a 116 minute butchered version. One hopes the 3 hour version will find it's way on blu-ray!!!!! THE KEY MAN, if it gets made?, will be De Palma's most successful film since MISSION:IMPOSSIBLE. Still I'll believe it once I'll see the cameras rolling. So many films have fallen through De Palma since the controversy of REDACTED. I think there a people who haven't forgiven De Palma for making REDACTED, especially with such subversive politics that film had. THE KEY MAN is what De Palma does best!
Aw come on guys, Awake was an original film with an actual plot and interesting dialog. IF you are bashing that movie because of Hayden Christensen, get over it all ready. I\’ve seen enough negative writing regarding him and it\’s totally unfounded. He\’s a great actor with a great future. Let\’s also face it, if DePalma wanted to direct the script, it HAS to have a lot going for it. Joby Harold also has a great future in the business because of the originality of the film Awake. Geez, where do you guys get your bad information. Seems to me you need to spend more time investigating your material.