Thompson on Hollywood

Soderbergh Hits Promo Circuit for Contagion, Talks Man From U.N.C.L.E. and New Film

Awards

Steven Soderbergh has been around the industry long enough to know the signs of a project that isn't firing on all cylinders. And he knows that once you go down the road of making too many compromises, the chances of turning out a movie you can be proud of are pretty slim. Better, he told me Friday night at an Academy-invited screening and cocktail promo party for "Contagion," his best-received movie in a while, to let "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." go before it really was too late. He doesn't regret losing out on "Moneyball" either, he says. If he hadn't been fired from the baseball picture, he says he wouldn't have gotten to make "Haywire" (January) with Channing Tatum, which led to stripper movie "Magic Mike." But not to "The Man from U.N.C.L.E."

By Anne Thompson
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November 20, 2011 3:27 AM
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CASTING WATCH: Jolie Gets Agent to Go Indie, U.N.C.L.E. Eyes Tatum, Beatty Picks Felicity Jones

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By Sophia Savage
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November 15, 2011 1:40 PM
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Trailer Watch: Fassbender Gets His Ass Kicked

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Carano vs. Fassbender: EW has posted a Haywire trailer showing Gina Carano whupping Michael Fassbender, who is no slouch physically, as well as an interview with him on his fights with the MMA star. I'll be talking to Fassbender on the flip cam Friday. Stay tuned.

By Anne Thompson
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November 10, 2011 7:46 PM
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Soderbergh’s Haywire Premieres at AFI Fest: Review, McHale’s Q & A with Carano, Fassbender, McGregor

Soderbergh, McGregor, Fassbender, Carano & McHale at Haywire Premiere

By all accounts, the world premiere at Graumann’s Chinese Sunday night of Haywire at AFI FEST was, well, haywire. Sophia Savage was there.

As the secret screening was announced that same morning, it was bound to be chaotic getting people into their seats, even with press tickets on hand. I almost gave up after 45 minutes of running around to different locations based on the well-meaning but uninformed advice of festival staff. But finally I asked the right person and voila! I was in.

The good news: the film is entertaining, and the surprise appearance at the Q and A of Ewan McGregor and Michael Fassbender—who joined co-star Gina Carano, director Steven Soderbergh and moderator Joel McHale—made the craziness worthwhile. For a more informative Haywire Q & A, check out our coverage of the Comic-Con panel, which included co-star Channing Tatum. At this session, McHale seemed unprepared, riffing off the top of his head:

By Sophia Savage
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November 7, 2011 1:45 PM
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Will Bradley Cooper and Joel Edgerton Board Soderbergh's Man From U.N.C.L.E.?

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Despite the box office failure of his well-reviewed Warrior, which Lionsgate hopes critics will remember at the end of the year, Joel Edgerton continues to be courted as a leading man. Better than his offer to star in 300: Battle of Artemisia, is the chance to star in Steven Soderbergh's The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. Bradley Cooper is waiting to commit to the picture (as Napoleon Solo, which George Clooney turned down because of back problems) until it is clear who will be playing Russian agent Illya Kuryakin (possibly Edgerton).

By Anne Thompson and Sophia Savage
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November 3, 2011 7:52 AM
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Soderbergh's Magic Mike Will Hit Theaters June 2012; Based on Star Channing Tatum's Stripper Days

Steven Soderbergh Magic Mike will hit theaters June 29, 2012 via Warner Bros. The director already has a cut of the film, which stars Channing Tatum---whose earlier days as a male stripper are the inspiration for the movie, written by Reid Carolin. Tatum's stripper teaches Alex Pettyfer's character the ways of the business, on and off the stage. Further plot details are unknown. Matthew McConaughey plays the owner of their club; Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello (pictured, with Tatum and Pettyfer), Gabriel Igelsias, Olivia Munn, Riley Keough, Betsy Brandt, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Cody Horn also co-star.

By Sophia Savage
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October 28, 2011 7:29 AM
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Soderbergh's Liberace Goes to HBO with Douglas and Damon

Milk's Sean Penn and James Franco, J. Edgar's Leonardo DiCaprio and Armie Hammer, now add Michael Douglas and Matt Damon to the list of Hollywood actors playing romantic leads. And yes, yet another high-profile filmmaker and project are finding a safe harbor at HBO Films. Steven Soderbergh will direct Douglas as the flamboyant lounge pianist Liberace and Damon as his lover Scott Thorson in a movie adapted by Richard LaGravanese from Thorson's memoir Behind the Candelabra in this long-in-development biopic. HBO plans to sell the movie to theatrical distributors overseas via film festivals, but it will air on HBO in North America.

By Anne Thompson
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October 11, 2011 6:17 AM
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How Did Moneyball Director Bennett Miller Make a Smart Studio Movie? Brad Pitt.

Bennett Miller is not the first name that would come to mind as the director of Moneyball, which two years ago was a problem-plagued project stalled at Sony with $10 million in costs stacked against it from past writers Stan Chervin, Steve Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin and departed directors David Frankel and Steven Soderbergh. And yet, for many reasons, Miller was just the right fit for this Sony adaptation of the 2003 Michael Lewis bestseller about Oakland As general manager Billy Beane. The movie launched to raves at Toronto and beyond and opened well this weekend. Now Oscars are in its sights.

By Anne Thompson
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September 26, 2011 8:25 AM
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Contagion Holds Strong at Box Office; Burns Talks Script, Viral Power of Bloggers

Steven Soderbergh has a solid commercial double in his disease thriller Contagion, which is holding strong at the box office in second place this weekend, with $44.2 million to date. Part of the credit goes to screenwriter Scott Z. Burns (The Bourne Ultimatum, The Informant) who helped to supply what Soderbergh calls "an ultra-realistic feel about a pandemic."