Universal Pulls The Plug On Cartel, Starring Josh Brolin, Only Weeks Before Production Begins
TheJosh Brolin-starring,Asger Leth-directedCartelcould be this year’sMoneyball. Universal has just killed the picture, reportedly over concerns about several issues: budget, script and the logistics of shooting a drug-oriented drama in Mexico.
Deadlinereports that the production is dead, and passes along a note from Universal:
Cartelhas had problems before. BrolinreplacedSean Penn,who dropped out a year agowhen he decided to take time off to focus on his family. The film was originally inspired by the Italian filmLa scorta, featuring a security detail protecting a prosecutor targeting the mob. But over time the script was streamlined into a tale of a man out to protect his son after his wife is murdered by a Mexican drug cartel. There was a point where we’d heard the title had been changed toWaterbug, but as Universal is referring to the film asCartel, that may have been short-lived.
The real issue here is probably money; Universal isn’t exactly rolling right now. And the failure ofGreen Zonecould have some long-range repercussions. That’s a movie that should never have been allowed to become as expensive as it did — in what reality was an issue-heavy Iraq action movie ever going to recoup costs as high asGreen Zone’s, even with the Bourne primaries on board?Cartellikely looks too much likeGreen Zone: an action/drama with a heavy tone and logistics that could push the budget up while on location.
Deadline doesn’t know who, if anyone, in the above the line talent has pay-or-play deals. (I.e., they get a check whether the movie is made or not.)Moneyballbecame famous in part because Sony had already dropped $14m on the picture, which is why the studio has been trying to soldier on with the film, but we don’t know how much Uni has already dropped onCartel.
(And no slight intended towards Brolin and Leth in my opener. They’re great talents, and I really wanted to see what Leth did with this.)
