A quintet of new voices awaits

Things are very much on hold these days. Our jobs, our activities, the world. That certainly includes the work that takes place among filmmakers. Most, if not all, production has been shut down for film and television due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which certainly affects Meryl too. We already know that The Prom still has a good chance of reaching Netflix by the end of the year. I'm actually surprised that we don't have more news on Steven Soderbergh's HBO Max film, Let Them All Talk. I wouldn't be surprised if we get news this week that it's coming out before May, or that it's not being released until fall. Who knows.

With all this in mind, my mind wanders into the realm of possibility again. Meryl has no future projects "solidified" for production coming up over the next year. Five film roles stand out to me that would potentially be great biopic vehicles. Each of them include a lead character with a very distinct voice, which is Meryl's specialty (and something I personally love witnessing). The fun thing is, all five of the below roles actually have completed scripts, just waiting for that elusive green light. Some food for thought amidst these quiet days.

1. Maria Callas in Master Class

I start with this one because it might be the least likely to happen, knowing that it was probably only a "go" if Mike Nichols were still with us. It might be a stretch age-wise for even Meryl at this point as well. But you never know! She'd get to do a Greek-American accent.





2. Diana Nyad in Nyad

Nyad doesn't necessarily have an accent, per se, but she has a distinct speaking style, and often quotes her adoptive father, who was Greek-Egyptian. I've actually read this script, and Nyad speaks some Spanish in it as well. Knowing the Tokyo Olympics are now pushed to 2021, if this were to film at the end of this year, it would be a great film to release during all the competitive hype of The Games next summer.





3. Lilly Ledbetter in Lilly

I've posted about this in recent weeks. Meryl has backed director Rachel Feldman's script about the fair pay activist, and the film is currently listed as "in production" on IMDb. I continue to maintain that it would be super weird to me that if the role is for someone in Meryl's age demographic, that she wouldn't be the first choice to play her. She'd get to do an Alabaman accent.





4. Susan Boyle (no known title, possibly The Woman I Was Born to Be)

It's been almost seven years since rumors first swirled that Meryl was being courted to play the Scottish star made famous after her 2009 appearance on Britain's Got Talent. Those rumors were bolstered a bit more this past fall when it was revealed that the film, based on Boyle's 2010 memoir, was likely moving ahead within the next year. Boyle was quoted as saying that the woman selected to portray her was a "bit of a surprise," and that she had some say in the casting.




5. Anna Anderson in Duchess

This is likely going to be a new one for people. Anderson was an eccentric Prussian woman who fooled many people into believing she was actually the slain Romanov princes, the Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia. This film has been in development hell since 2014, when it was announced that Glenn Close would be portraying the title character. It's to a be a dark comedy, during the time Anderson's husband sort of kidnaps her out of her court-ordered retirement home to take her on a honeymoon road trip through Virginia.

I doubt at this point it'll ever happen with Close, and I'm sure people will flip out if Meryl ever "stole" the role. Regardless, it'd be an interesting person to see on screen. I've read that Anderson (born
Franziska Schanzkowska) spoke with what was described by some hospital orderlies as "German with a Russian accent."

"Florence Foster Jenkins" maxed out

I think it's safe to say that the 'stats' for Florence Foster Jenkins have reached their peak.  With 176 reviews counted on Rotten Tomatoes, the film sits at a strong 86%.  Its score on Metacritic rests at 71 (generally favorable reviews), with 46 counted.  A handful of theaters are still showing the movie across the U.S., but with a box office haul of $27.1 million as of yesterday, it likely will not reach $28m.  The receipts are just barely better than last year's Ricki and the Flash ($26.8m), but the critic responses fared much better for Florence, which bodes well for Meryl's chances at awards recognition.  DVD/Blu-ray and digital downloads are expected in the States sometime in December.  My understanding is that it's being released in the U.K. and Australia this week.

When Meryl said in late 2014 that Florence would be her last project for a while, it unfortunately turned out to be quite true.  That film wrapped in July 2015 and I see no reason to expect that she will film anything earlier than the second half of 2017.  Her IMDbpro page still lists Master Class as "optioned," but that isn't happening.  We know The Good House has dropped off her page (although it's still listed on the FilmNation website as "in development" with Streep and De Niro).  Since Mary Poppins Returns is not being released until Christmas 2018, for all we know Meryl's small role may not film for over a year.  I've seen nothing further on The Nix since its announcement nearly a month ago.

I'm looking forward to early December to see if Meryl squeaks into the top five for the Golden Globes and SAGs.  This quiet time in her work schedule is the worst.  At least we'll get to hear a bit form her at the Rome Film Festival later this month.

Thoughts on production of "The Nix"

My copy of Nathan Hill's novel The Nix arrived today.  I'm excited to begin reading and being that it's been about a week since it was announced that the book would be turned into a limited series starring our girl, I thought I'd add a few more thoughts.  To my knowledge, there hasn't been any additional info on the details of the project since the day it was announced.  All we know is that J.J. Abrams would be producing (along with Meryl?), it it going to be on television and that Abrams would likely direct at least "a few" episodes.

Certainly there's a lot of info we can find on the actual plot of the story, and readers are of course welcome to explore that info to whatever level of detail they choose.  I'll likely create a post or two as I discover the 600-page tale, but will be sure to add spoiler alerts.

Big things we don't know for sure:  who will write the screenplay, how many episodes there will be, on which network it will air, who will direct, when shooting is likely to begin and of course, who else will star.  The main character sounds like it's actually the son, Samuel, but from what I understand both he and his mom, Faye, seem like leads.  No doubt I'll be picturing Meryl whenever her character is present or referenced in the story, but I'll have to wait and see who comes to mind to portray Samuel.

Thinking about how glad I am that we have at new project to obsess talk about, I couldn't help but look back to the fall of 2014, just after it was announced in October of that year that Streep had signed on for Florence Foster Jenkins.  We essentially had five major projects that were either about to or expected to come to fruition: Into the Woods, Ricki and the Flash (which was filming), Florence Foster Jenkins, The Good House and Master Class.  Now I'm just hoping beyond all hope that The Nix actually sees the light of day, as we know nothing is ever guaranteed.  Considering the fact that Meryl may be co-producing, I agree with a commenter here that it may be more likely to happen if Streep has a stake in the production herself.

Until we get confirmation, I'll just have to remain patient and enjoy envisioning Meryl in the pages of The Nix.  

The end of "Master Class"?

Thanks to an anonymous post, earlier today I was alerted to an article in "Out" where Meryl is apparently quoted in a press junket saying that she will not be pursuing Master Class, the HBO production of Terrence McNally's play about opera diva Maria Callas.  Mike Nichols was set to direct the film prior to his death in November 2014.  Production was to begin in early 2015.

What's interesting, however, is that I decided to search for any other news on this possible quote, and the only other recent blurb I found was this from the Boston Herald, where again Master Class is mentioned.  A direct question was posed to Meryl asking "where does that stand?"  Her quoted answer here is a bit less definitive.  She explains that after Nichols' death and the depth to which the two of them had gone into preparations for the production, she essentially lost interest in doing it without him.  But it seemed a bit ambiguous in regard to the possibility that she would be open to doing it if someone else were at the helm.

My take away from this information is that Master Class is not going to be made with Meryl Streep starring.  I don't think it's 100% dead, and being that it's such a compelling story and has gone through so many struggles to come to the screen, I hope it does eventually get made, even if it doesn't star Meryl.  However, I'm surrendering hope that Streep has any immediate involvement in the film.  Unfortunate.

Thoughts on "Master Class"

I know we're all struggling a little bit with the dearth in project news for Meryl.  I'm sad to report that as of today, The Good House has dropped off of her IMDbPro "in developement" section.  That film is currently categorized as "developement unknown," with no actors attached.  Interesting sidebar: my mom told me that she saw Ann Leary in an interview last week for her new book The Children, and happened to mention The Good House (I had recommended it a while ago to her and now she's for sure planning to read it).  Leary also discussed the possiblity of a film, but that basically Meryl was not a sure thing.  Not surprising that it's off Meryl's page (and Robert De Niro's for that matter).

That leaves us with Master Class.  Over the weekend I read Terrence McNally's play, on which the HBO film was to be based.  I felt compelled to mention it here because of course I couldn't help myself from picuring Meryl the entire time I was reading Maria Callas's zingers.  After having finished it, I'm more bummed than ever that it might end up in perpetual movie limbo. Forgetting the fact that I'm already a huge opera fan, Callas in this story is a wonderful character.  Fiery, intelligent, direct, vulgar at times and constantly trying to tell the audience that the class is not about her, despite the fact that every event in the play ends up turning the focus squarely and solely back on Maria.  She also readily transitions between speaking in English (which would be with a Greek accent), French and Italian, with a bit of German here and there.

Alas, I wonder if the next project we get from Meryl will be something completely unkown.  Recall that she had a meeting about a film project in London in May while there for the premiere of Florence Foster Jenkins, but she reportedly wasn't ready to divulge any details yet.  Since the start of her film career, Streep has never gone more than a single calendar year without filming something (although January 1999-January 2001 is a full two years).  If 2016 goes by without anything, I think it's highly unlikely we won't see her shooting something in 2017.  Nyad, anyone?  And I'm still holding out hope for The Good House.  Even if Meryl isn't involved, I'd still love to see Hildy Good brought to life on screen.  

Streepers anxious to know what's next

Probably not since 1999 have we had a similar dearth of confirmed screen projects for Meryl.  One could argue that we're in a very similar situation to 2010, where by early summer of that year Streep hadn't filmed anything in a year and we knew of zero films which she had in the pipeline.  Shortly after, it was announced that she would star as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady.  That film went into production in early 2011, was released later that year and of course earned Meryl her third Oscar.

The similarities between 2010 and 2016 may unfortunately end there, however.   I realize that I've speculated ad nauseam on the status of The Good House, but by most recent accounts that's a 'maybe' at best.  Were that to actually get pulled together, I don't think it would be unreasonable for that to begin shooting in early 2017 with a release date planned for later that year.  One of the problems with this filming schedule may in fact be the other confirmed actor...Robert De Niro.  The other day it was announced that he was in talks to star in a film adaptation of the the novel The War on Grandpa.  He also has The Irishman lined up, which is said to begin filming next spring.  On top of this, earlier this week we also learned he will make his directorial debut on Broadway in December.  That doesn't leave a lot of room for him and Meryl to team up and play Frank and Hildy.  This House is looking less Good. 

The other project that remains an enigma is Master Class.  After the sad and unexpected passing of director Mike Nichols in November of 2014, the HBO film was put on hold.  Filming was set to begin in January 2015 with a likely release later that year.  Just today I happened to think about the Emmy nominations coming up next month and how we'd likely be expecting a nomination for Meryl in the role of Maria Callas.  For months now I'd given up on the hope of ever seeing this project involving Meryl until several weeks ago.  While Streep was in London for the premiere of Florence Foster Jenkins, she gave an interview where it seemed possible that Master Class may still be on her radar, jut not anytime soon.  It got me wondering if Meryl would still be able to portray Callas in a couple of years.  Callas was in her late 40's during the masterclasses at Juilliard, while Streep will turn 67 next week.  The more I think about it though, if anyone can play someone 20 years younger, it's Meryl.  Callas's age in the play isn't of particular importance.  Meryl would just need to be passable for early 50's.  No prob within the next few years in my opinion.  It would be amazing if this eventually came to fruition.  After Faye Dunaway struggled and failed to get it to the screen, the project now almost seems doomed. The film remains on the 'in development' section of her IMDbPro page (along with The Good House), but I'm not holding my breath.  Just in case, however, my copy of Terrence McNally's original stage play is in the mail.  

With Jessica Chastain's gun control film Miss Sloane already in the can, it has seemed particularly unlikely to expect that The Senator's Wife will ever see the light of day.  The horrific Orlando massacre is sparking a much-needed dialogue for passing laws to restrict access to certain firearms, so I wonder if we'll also see a barrage of films from Hollywood that, like Miss Sloane, aim to tackle this topic.  We know Meryl regularly likes to be involved in projects that have important messages.  I certainly think it would be a great platform for Meryl to go after the NRA, but the plot just seems way too similar to Miss Sloane to expect anything to come of it.             

So, that's it?  Well, one of the small concessions about Meryl not having anything set in stone is that it's fun to dream predict.  A few months ago I queried whether Streep would be interested in the script Nyad, a biopic about marathon-swimmer Diana Nyad.  Doing a little snooping I discovered the blog Deconstruct the Script, where one of the scripts "deconstructed" is in fact Nyad.  Noting its appearance on the 2015 Blacklist, the author of the blog was mostly complementary on the script's quality.  While we may disagree on whether or not Nyad's swim from Cuba to Florida was pure narcissism (I expect her motivation was more complicated than that), the script was described as a project that had well-written characters and "beautiful, elegant" form.  Knowing a bit about Diana Nyad, this could be a film role Meryl could really sink her teeth into.  As I described in December, so many boxes would be ticked for a baity role in this picture: biopic, age-appropriate, physical transformation, history of abuse, lesbian.  Who other than Meryl would be more adept at effectively bringing Nyad's incredible story and humanity to the screen?  Probably no one.

Not unlike a gun-control film, were Meryl to get her wish and star with Kathy Bates in a film about Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, we'd have another zeitgeist project to look forward to.  With the current U.S. presidential campaign excruciatingly underway, a female being a major contender begs for a film depicting the historic struggle to secure women's suffrage.  Plus I enjoy Meryl's buddy projects.

Although portraying real people is always an enticing prospect, were all of the above projects to come to fruition, three of the roles (Maria Callas, Diana Nyad and Susan B. Anthony) would be biographical.  Couple that with Meryl's current title character, Florence Foster Jenkins, and it's possibly a bit heavy in the biopic department.  This is one of the reasons I wish The Good House would come together.  Original stories allow for a particular kind of representation, and possibly my favorite aspect of watching Meryl work is how convincing she is at making me believe her character's history.  That's likely a bigger and more gratifying challenge if there isn't a real person to reference.

In this same vein, we know that in recent years directors such as Joel Hopkins, Xavier Dolan and Pedro Almodóvar have all commented on their interest in working with Meryl.  I would expect any projects that teamed Streep with these gentlemen would not be a biopic.  Rob Marshall expressed interest in a film version of Follies, and after the success of Into the Woods, revealed that he would love to have Meryl aboard.  With the recent news of a film version of Wicked getting the green light, buzz around the internet inevitably suggests the possibility of Streep being cast as Madame Morrible.  Neither of these last two projects seem like a crazy idea, knowing Streep's affinity for musical films, especially the past couple of years. 

So many possibilities!  Although I get a little nervous not knowing what's next, I take solace in the fact that we WILL get more of Meryl.  I believe 100% that she loves working and hopes to do it as long as she can.  By all recent accounts, Florence Foster Jenkins is going to be a success on multiple levels, setting Streep up for a similar situation in which she found herself after her successes in 2009; films that may have executives tentative about funding may actually be given the OK.

Hang in there, Streepers.  I have a feeling the next five years are going to be special.

                                                   

Mike Nichols tribute and my SAG predictions

Last night PBS aired a one-hour documentary on the life and work of director Mike Nichols.  Streep of course worked with Nichols in Silkwood, Heartburn, Postcards from the Edge and Angels in America. Their collaboration on Master Class unfortunately never came to fruition, as Nichols passed away two months prior to when filming was set to begin last year. The tribute, while short, was fantastic.  By far my favorite moment was when Nichols began to discuss Meryl's work in Silkwood, became emotional, and had to stop, saying "I don't think I can talk about Meryl." No doubt he saw something very special in her.



In other news, the SAGs are tonight so I thought I better post my predictions.  Winners indicated with an asterisk*:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
1. Bryan Cranston (Trumbo)
2. Johnny Depp (Black Mass)
3. Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant)*
4. Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs)
5. Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
1. Cate Blanchett (Carol)
2. Brie Larson (Room)*
3. Helen Mirren (Woman in Gold)
4. Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn)
5. Sarah Silverman (I Smile Back)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
1. Christian Bale (The Big Short)
2. Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation)*
3. Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies)
4. Michael Shannon (99 Homes)
5. Jacob Tremblay (Room)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
1. Rooney Mara (Carol)
2. Rachel McAdams (Spotlight)
3. Helen Mirren (Trumbo)
4. Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl)*
5. Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs)

I'm way less confident in the supporting categories than lead.  It's quite possible that Elba will be recognized following his Oscar snub, a la Ben Affleck for Argo at the Producers Guild.  A few surprises would be fun for a change.

This Meryl-less awards season

It's funny looking back to a little over a year ago when, shortly after it was announced that Meryl would being starring in a biopic about Florence Foster Jenkins, I thought that 2016 might be one of the most dense awards seasons Meryl will ever experience.  Fast forward to today, and not only was Meryl not nominated for a single award in any screen performance this year, but many people are relieved that she's not at all involved with the shit storm that has ensued following the Academy's failure to nominate a single actor who is not white.

Before Mike Nichols's passing in November 2014, I had envisioned a possible scenario in which Meryl could feasibly be nominated for three Golden Globe awards in three different categories this year:  Actress in a Television Movie or Miniseries for Master Class, Actress in a Comedy/Musical for Ricki and the Flash and Actress in a Drama for Florence Foster Jenkins.  It seemed possible, if not probable, that they'd release Florence before year's end since it wrapped in July last year.  I now also doubt it'll go drama, but I suppose it wouldn't have been completely unrealistic to hope for two nods in Musical/Comedy, as it's happened for Meryl before with Julie & Julia and It's Complicated in 2009.  Despite having high hopes for the success of Suffragette, I never expected Meryl's role to garner any awards traction.

Alas, zip. And that's OK.  Master Class was obviously never made so we can't be upset about her not being nominated for that, and Florence Foster Jenkins will have its chance next year.  I maintain that Meryl should've made the top five at the Golden Globes for Ricki, but will be the first to admit that the film fell far short of expectations.

Now to the shit storm.  The lack of inclusion of any actor of color among this year's Academy Award nominees is tragic.  Perhaps I'm in the minority opinion however in believing that the issue is not necessarily with the Academy.  The films have to be there.  How are non-whites going to be nominated when there is a dearth of roles and stories that get green-lit for black actors?  The great Viola Davis had similar thoughts when she was quoted recently as saying:

"The problem is not with the Oscars. The problem is with the Hollywood movie-making system. How many black films are being produced every year? How are they being distributed? The films that are being made, are the big-time producers thinking outside of the box in terms of how to cast the role? Can you cast a black woman in that role? Can you cast a black man in that role?"

Agreed.  If there were a huge variety of high-quality films involving black actors with great performances from which to choose, and the Academy still overlooked them, then I'd be singing a different tune.  We can debate whether Idris Elba should've been nominated based on the quality of his performance (I say yes), but I think there's no persuasive argument that suggests the playing field is level in regard to actually getting performances like his on the screen in the first place.  Recent comments by both Charlotte Rampling and Michael Caine don't exactly bolster confidence in people's ability to understand the bigger issue. 

As far as Meryl staying clear of the controversy, many point to the backlash she and others experienced during the promotion of Suffragette for wearing shirts that said "I'd rather be a rebel than a slave."  I think it's nonsense.  I can appreciate how in the context of race relations in the United States it seemed like a poor choice.  I also realize that I approach these topics through the gaze of a white male.  But I have to believe that we're smart enough to think critically about categorical differences.  Although slavery and its ongoing pervasive negative effects on African Americans in the United States is a repugnant stain on our nation's history, there exist other populations globally who have historically been equally as oppressed.  And it's not exclusive to a specific skin color.  We know that slavery is much older than racism.  So, appreciating that it's OK to acknowledge that oppression of any group of individuals, women in the case of Suffragette, is abhorrent and should be spoken out against, perhaps it's a bit more palatable seeing Meryl or any white woman wearing such a shirt.  It also just happened to be a direct quote from Emmeline Pankhurst, Streep's character in the film. 

How fitting that only yesterday it was announced that Joseph Fiennes (a white man) will be portraying Michael Jackson (born a black man) in a U.K. television show.  Is this bad timing or perfect timing?  It opens a huge can of worms, and hopefully a thoughtful discussion about what this means.  Of course many people are outraged, while I imagine there are almost as many asking "how could a black man portray Michael Jackson circa 2001?"  The questions are important and demand a conversation about what it means to act, or what acting should be. 

I've exhibited few qualms about my interest in seeing Meryl portray former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi.  It's a purely selfish desire for me to be excited about seeing my favorite actress as a character few would ever expect her to inhabit.  No doubt Meryl could do it in a way that wouldn't be a caricature.  But it won't happen.  Maybe it can't or shouldn't happen.  But the reason it can't or shouldn't happen isn't about acting.  It's about the fact that certain groups of people have been oppressed for centuries in our nation, and giving a job to a white actor who would be portraying a person of color takes us a step back.  It would be great it we didn't have to think that way.  Imagine non-traditional, race-blind casting in all genres.  I'm not sure we'll get there in my lifetime, but before it can even be a consideration, the steps I've outlined above have to happen first.    

I'll leave you with what has been a favorite video of mine.  In 2012 Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer appeared on the Tavis Smiley show to discuss their performances in The Help.  The actresses' comments, particularly Davis's, have and continue to be educational and a great perspective for me on the topic of race in the film industry.  Enjoy.  

When will "Florence Foster Jenkins" be released?

In the four+ years I've been writing this blog, we may currently be in the most quiet time for Streep film news we've ever had.  Despite two movies released in the last four months, it's mid December and few are talking about her.  A little over a year ago, I thought that the 2015-16 awards season could be one of the most prominent in Meryl's career.  Recognition for Ricki and the Flash and Master Class (had the latter been made and released in 2015) seemed assured.  Maybe they were even going release Florence Foster Jenkins by year's end.  Three Golden Globe nods?!  

Alas, Ricki underperformed and Suffragette, while a decent film, has seemingly passed quietly into the shadows.  2016 holds possibility with Florence Foster Jenkins.  The film, directed by Stephen Frears, who led Helen Mirren (The Queen) and Judi Dench (Philomena) to raves in recent years, has no official release date.  IMDb lists it being released in the Netherlands August 31 and in Germany November 26.  If the former is correct, it will have to be released in the U.S. sometime in August. If the latter is correct (which seems more likely) I imagine we should expect it in the U.S. in October or November.  Recently Streep's films, if a bit lighter in tone, have done fairly well with late summer releases.  From what I understand, Florence will be mostly dramatic with some comedic elements.  It could go either way: late summer release, or more Oscar-typical mid to late fall.  

I'm looking forward to getting some confirmation on when we can expect it, as well as Meryl's next solidified project.  Everyone and their mother knows I want it to be The Good House.  Still hopin'.  

"Into the Woods" surpasses $125 million at the box office

Into the Woods surpassed $125 million at the domestic box office this weekend. Add almost $46 million in foreign receipts and that adds up to a pretty impressive total for a film with a budget of around $50 million.  It'll add a little more before its run is complete.

In other news, it was announced this week that Meryl will be a present at the Academy Awards on the 22nd.  So obviously she's planning on attending.   She was also seen backstage at It's Only a Play on Broadway on Tuesday, and is also planning on attending "An Evening of Serious Fun" on March 2, which will be a tribute to the late Paul Newman.  I only mention these last two bits because they both remind me of Master Class. The former is a play written by Terrence McNally, and the Newman event is taking place at Lincoln Center, the site of The Juilliard School where Master Class is set.  Sigh.

If anyone's interested, the BAFTAs were awarded this afternoon.  Top category winners are as follows:

Best Picture: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater (Boyhood)
Best Actor in a Leading Role: Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything)
Best Actress in a Leading Role: Julianne Moore (Still Alice)
Best Actor in a Supporting Role: J.K. Simmons (Whiplash)
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Patricia Arquette (Boyhood)

Absolutely zero surprises.

Two mentions of "Master Class" from playwright Terrence McNally

Over the past week, two separate interviews with playwright Terrence McNally have suggested that Meryl is still attached to portray Maria Callas in the screen version of Master Class.  As everyone knows, the late Mike Nichols was to be the director for the HBO project, but his unfortunate passing in November has left a big question mark about whether this will ultimately move forward.  As early news of this story broke last summer, it was suggested that production was to begin in "early 2015."  Obviously that could be any time now.

The first interview was posted on Crain's New York Business website last week.  In it, there is a section where they list McNally's "dream actors" and he states "I thought I'd made my peace about not working with Meryl Streep.  But she's doing the movie of Master Class."  The writer of this article was kind enough to respond to an email I sent and assured me the interview took place about three weeks ago.  I refuse to believe that McNally is somehow unaware of the passing of Mike Nichols.  I also find it hard to believe that he would say something like this if he didn't believe or perhaps even "know" that the project was still going forward.

The second article is even better.  McNally was evidently in Mexico around January 16th to commemorate a 100-show run of Master Class, and he appeared on a radio program to discuss it.  In the interview (which is in Spanish of course) he again states that Meryl will be filming a screen version of the play.  In case your browser does not automatically prompt you to translate the interview, McNally commented on his excitement about Streep's participation:

The writer Terrence McNally said he is pleased that the play "Master Class" will be filmed and even more that will star Oscar winner Meryl Streep, whom he admires, it was reported in the area of "Javier Poza in Formula ". "I think Meryl Streep is a goddess, what I can say, I always wanted to work with her, I'm very excited, no disrespect to any of the other great actresses who have played the role, I think she will be able to achieve to a wider audience. "Simply because it will be in cinema format, because if people want to see Diana Bracho theater has to travel to Mexico City or you prefer to see Patti LuPone would have to go to Broadway, so this is a great opportunity, I think Meryl is magnificent, I have no doubt, but in the end will be another interpretation of the role, "he said.

I mean, come on!  Again, why would he say this if, like the rest of us, he doesn't really know the fate of this project?  If he were unsure about whether filming will actually take place, wouldn't it be more likely that he'd say something (if anything at all about it) like "Streep was set to star in the screen version, but with the passing of Mike Nichols, it's been put on hold."?

A publicist at HBO (whose email I acquired with the help of my beloved, Joe) responded to my request about production dates by simply saying "there is no additional info."  Perhaps I've already uncovered the info they're waiting to officially reveal...that the project is going forward with a new director at the helm.

Even if filming didn't start until mid to late February, it's absolutely reasonable that it could wrap in about six weeks, which would give Meryl plenty of time before principle photography is set to begin on Stephen Frears' Florence Foster Jenkins sometime in May.  Incidentally, I came across a podcast interview Streep did with Empire Magazine where she discusses, among other things, the upcoming Frears film.  The interview begins around 7:22.

My optimism for the life of Master Class has increased by a speck.  

Mention of "Master Class"

I know I'm boring everyone with my obsession of whether or not HBO will still make Master Class. However, until we're through February with no word, I'm going to hold out hope that it may happen as planned.  Today an article suggested that a newly greenlit biopic on Montgomery Clift starring Matt Bomer may be taking the slot that Master Class was to hold.  The suggestion in this article is simply that...a suggestion, but it certainly made it seem like a foregone conclusion that the Master Class was a no-go, therefore providing an opening for this new project.  Sigh.  You guys, should I just give it up already?

My Golden Globe predictions

The Golden Globe Awards are of course tomorrow night.  Typically I'll throw in my two cents and list my predictions.  This year is no different.  I'll rank Meryl's category and then just list who I think will win in some other major film races.

Actress in a Supporting role
1. Patricia Arquette (Boyhood)
2. Emma Stone (Birdman)
3. Meryl Streep (Into the Woods)
4. Keira Knightley (The Imitation Game)
5. Jessica Chastain (A Most Violent Year)

Best Picture Drama:  Boyhood
Best Picture Musical/Comedy:  Birdman
Best Director:  Richard Linklater (Boyhood)
Best Actress Drama:  Julianne Moore (Still Alice)
Best Actor Drama:  Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything)
Best Actress Musical/Comedy:  Julianne Moore (Maps to the Stars)
Best Actor Musical/Comedy:  Michael Keaton (Birdman)
Best Supporting Actor:  J.K. Simmons (Whiplash)

This is probably Meryl's only chance at an award this season, and it's a long shot, but stranger things have happened.  I'd love to see Emily Blunt take home the trophy for Musical/Comedy Actress, but I'm predicting Julianne Moore to take BOTH lead acting categories.  Has that ever happened?  Kate Winslet won Drama Actress and Supporting Actress six years ago, but I'm not sure anyone has won both leads.  If Florence Foster Jenkins somehow gets released by the end of next year could we see Meryl in Moore's place for both Florence and Ricki and the Flash?  Never know!

Oh, and anyone think HBO has hired a new director for Master Class?!?!  I'm probably the only person in the world who's holding on to that one, but until I hear confirmation otherwise or Meryl starts filming a different project, I'll carry the torch of hope.  Enjoy the Globes.  

Pre-Christmas weekend topic potpourri

Several things to discuss in this post.  Most notable is that Into the Woods is getting the review treatment since Disney's embargo was lifted two days ago.  As I type this, it sits at a very respectable 71% on Rotten Tomatoes with 28 reviews counted, and 69% on Metacritic, with just nine reviews reported. If this film ends up above 70%, I can't imagine the filmmakers being displeased with that.  Nothing to suggest these opinions will deter viewers from showing up on Christmas Day.

Yesterday a new still was revealed from the filming of Ricki and the Flash. 

 
Rockin' it out with costar Rick Springfield.  I'm pretty sure they've wrapped production, and the film is set to be released June 26th next year.

Finally, it's no secret I'm typically obsessed with the prospect of Meryl's upcoming/rumored projects.  I speculated after the untimely death of director Mike Nichols last month on whether or not the HBO project Master Class, which he and Meryl were planning on doing together, was going to move forward.  As shooting was set to begin in January, I have to imagine that several aspects of the project were already in place.  I still think it's very possible that the entire thing is scrapped, or at least postponed and not to include Meryl.

But I've also noted in a previous post that there is a precedent in this situation, as director Sydney Pollack dropped out right before beginning Recount in 2007 due to illness.  If someone does ultimately step in for Nichols, it would likely be seen as more tactful to not announce his replacement until after the new year.  Part of me thinks that it may still be happening, mostly because, and some people may think this is nuts, but Meryl seems to have lost an appreciable amount of weight in the last two months.  Take a look at this pic of a super svelte Streep with director Rob Marshall earlier this week at an Into the Woods holiday event:

Meryl never appears overweight, but I've also never seen her quite this slight except for when preparing for a role, most recently when she filmed The Devil Wears Prada nine years ago.  I don't think she got this thin for Ricki and the Flash, so is she maybe readying herself to portray the famously trim Maria Callas?

If so, I'm onto you, Meryl.

Extended break for Streep after "Florence Foster Jenkins"?

In a recent interview with the Phillipine Daily Inquirer, Meryl talked about several things, including her upcoming role as socialite Florence Foster Jenkins in the Stephen Frears biopic.  Most interesting to me was that Streep was quoted as saying "I've been working non-stop for the last five years.  So this Florence Foster Jenkins will be the last for a while."  Of course it is not uncommon for Meryl to take extended breaks after a hectic schedule, at least in film.  She went the entire years of 2000 and 2010 without making a single picture.

It begs the question, however, whether Master Class will still happen despite the passing of Mike Nichols, who was attached to direct. Several sources had reported that filming was expected to begin as early as January 2015. Interestingly, I happened to notice that HBO's Emmy-winning film Recount was set to begin filming in the fall of 2007 with director Sydney Pollack, only for Pollack to withdraw just weeks before production due to illness. So there is clear precedent for directors being replaced at HBO.  The two productions seem to be of very different scales however, as Recount had hundreds of cast members, and Master Class presumably has only around half a dozen.  It may therefore be easier to forego continuing with the latter project.

I also wonder exactly what Meryl means by "break."  I recall her on the red carpet this past year for August: Osage County saying something similar, and like a month later she filmed Suffragette and signed on to star in Ricki and the Flash, which is currently underway.  I know I'm beating a dead horse, but I continue to have hope that they'll pull The Good House together for a late 2015 filming schedule.  You guys, I read the book and was fascinated by the possibility of Meryl portraying Hildy.  Plus she'd be re-teamed with Robert De Niro.  Make it happen, world.

If we use the filming schedules of The Queen and Philomena as templates for Frears pics, we can reasonably assume that if principle photography begins on Florence Foster Jenkins in May as expected, we can reasonably assume it'll wrap by either late June or mid to late July at the latest.  That would still provide Meryl with at least three months before a possible shooting schedule for The Good House would commence.  Enough time for a vacation, Meryl?  My hope for film releases over the next two years is as follows:

2015
Ricki and the Flash (confirmed release date of 6/26/15)
Master Class (very possible for TV release anytime in second half of 2015 if filming indeed starts in January)
Florence Foster Jenkins (Nov/Dec 2015 release possible if wrapped by June/July)

This 2015 schedule would possibly set Meryl up for several award nominations, most notably for Golden Globe noms in both Drama (Florence) and Comedy/Musical (Ricki) films, as well as in TV Movie/Minseries.  All lead of course.  I can't imagine anyone has ever been nominated in all three of those categories in one year.  Greedy?  Perhaps, but I want it to happen.

2016
The Good House 

Technically, I want both The Good House and The Senator's Wife to be released in 2016, but the only feasible way I can see that happen is if The Senator's Wife takes my suggested filming spot of The Good House in late 2015 and is released second half of 2016, and then The Good House is filmed early 2016 and is released later the same year.

The pessimist in me predicts that Master Class, The Good House and The Senator's Wife will never get made, and Florence Foster Jenkins will be released late 2016.  Hey, at least it'll give Meryl more spread out options for Oscar consideration.  Plus, it provides fodder for my Reimagined History Part 5.

New clip of Streep singing "Stay With Me"

A new featurette was released this morning with an extended clip of Meryl performing "Stay With Me" from Into the Woods:



Um, that was incredible.  The emotional intensity combined with the vocals....Meryl is in serious contention for an Oscar win.  

In other unfortunate news, most of you have probably learned today of the untimely and tragic death of director Mike Nichols.  He and Meryl were close friends and worked together on Silkwood, Heartburn, Postcards from the Edge, Angels in America and were set to begin filming Master Class early next year. The film industry has lost one of the best, and this of course leaves the future of Master Class unknown. I'm certain he will be greatly missed.

"Florence Foster Jenkins" acquires international distributors

The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Stephen Frears' new biopic Florence Foster Jenkins (changed from simply Florence) has picked up multiple distributors worldwide. Pathé will distribute for the U.K., while several U.S distributors have evidently shown interest as well.  Principle photography is set to begin in May, 2015.  Obviously I will no longer consider this a "rumored" project.

With Meryl finishing up Ricki and the Flash over the next month, she's likely going to transition relatively quickly into the role of Maria Callas for HBO's Master Class early in 2015.  It begs the question that if Florence Foster Jenkins begins filming in May and possibly wraps by late June or early July, would they try to get it released by the end of 2015?  No doubt on paper it will be an awards vehicle for Meryl, as were other Frears films like The Queen and Philomena for both Helen Mirren and Judi Dench, respectively.

If we assume they have it ready by December 2015, Meryl will have both Ricki and Florence as contenders for the calendar year. Couple that with the likelihood of Master Class being shown by year's end (an enticing prospect of having Meryl portraying roles of both the most famous and infamous opera singers inside of a month) and we have a plethora of projects to look forward to over the next 13 months.  I can't imagine Streep not in consideration for at least Globe nominations in all three!  I'm still assuming Suffragette will be little more than a cameo.

Knowing Florence will start in May, this seems to leave next fall open for filming.  Will we finally see The Good House or even possibly The Senators' Wife (a film that if it were to happen I believe would be best marketed in 2016) come to fruition?  As I've said countless times before, time will tell.  I want both to happen!  Keep that working cap on, Mary Louise.

Thoughts on Streep's upcoming filming schedule

The past year has seen a sizable list of potential projects Meryl plans to film.  Over the last fourteen months we've learned about the possibilities of The Giver, The Good House, Suffragette, The Senator's Wife, Ricki and the Flash, Master Class and Florence.  Wow!  We of course know that The Giver and Suffragette were filmed, and Ricki and the Flash is underway in New York.

But what do the next couple of years look like in terms of a filming schedule if Meryl were to actually complete the remaining projects?  Master Class, as has been reported, is likely to film in early 2015, considering it has director Mike Nichols attached.  The fact that the setting will likely be rather intimate, if based closely on the stage play, and that it's for television (HBO), I don't imagine filming lasting longer than 4-6 weeks.  If that starts as late as March, it'll likely wrap by end of April.

Like Master Class, Florence already has a director attached (Stephen Frears), which suggests to me that the project is closer to a filming date than say The Good House.  That said, The Good House has a screenwriter in Michael Cunningham, who we know has been working on the script as early as mid 2013, and the production companies FilmNation and Robert De Niro's Tribeca are set to finance it.  Both films considered, I have a hunch that Florence is poised to move forward first, as we've heard next to nothing on the status of The Good House for months.

We've heard even less about The Senator's Wife, a film Harvey Weinstein described as a "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington-like take down of the NRA."  Since he revealed his plans to make this movie (starring Meryl) on the Howard Stern Show in January, not even a peep of its possibilities.  Were it to happen, it seems like the kind of film Harvey would want to market during a presidential election year.  In this case, 2016 would be a great one, especially since we're likely to have a strong female contender in the running.

It's certainly possible that Florence will take a couple more years to go into production.  Stephen Frears was designated to direct The Queen in 2003 and the film wasn't released until 2006.  If that's the case for Florence, we could expect a release as late as 2017, likely around November, if we're to assume similar strategies to the releases for The Queen and Philomena.  

Here's what I hope happens:  Consider the possibility of all of the above films having release dates before the end of 2016.  How could Meryl fit it all in?  There is a way.  If Master Class actually begins filming in January and wraps by the end of February 2015, Streep could feasibly start another shoot in the spring.   Let's say that's The Good House.  If it started in March and ended in May, it's not impossible to have it ready by then end of 2015.  That would give us Ricki and the Flash in June, Suffragette in September, Master Class in November/December (on TV mind you) and The Good House in December.  I really don't expect any awards recognition for her presumably cameo role in Suffragette, but the other three pictures certainly garner some attention.  Imagine Meryl being nominated in three categories at the Golden Globes:  Actress Musical/Comedy (Ricki and the Flash), Actress Drama (The Good House) and Actress in a TV Movie/Miniseries (Master Class).  I realize this is pretty far fetched, but not entirely impossible.

Were 2015 were to shape up like that, with filming on The Good House wrapped by May, Streep would be open to film The Senator's Wife in late summer/early fall, which would be plenty of time to have it ready before election time in fall 2016.  If shooting for Florence could be pushed to early 2016 (not completely crazy as that's only a year and half after it was announced), that too could be put together for a late 2016 release.  To summarize this release schedule:

2015
Ricki and the Flash (June)
Suffragette (September)
Master Class (November)
The Good House (December)

2016
The Senator's Wife (October)
Florence (December)

Regardless of what happens, I just hope they all happen.  It's certainly more realistic that the filming schedule would be more drawn out, considering my suggestion would have Meryl shooting four lead roles in just over a year.  It just seems unlikely that other projects won't come along that may be streamlined into production the way Ricki and the Flash has been.  As usual, time will tell.  

Several film updates

As I anxiously await a trailer for Into the Woods (will it ever happen?!), there are a few items of interest worth mentioning.  It's been kind of a slow week, and normally most of the things I'm about to cover wouldn't make a blog post, but as there are three main topics to cover, I'll throw 'em together.

First and foremost, we have video of Kevin Kline confirming that he will be joining Meryl as her husband in Ricki and the Flash.  Kline indicates that he'll begin work in October, which doesn't necessarily mean that Meryl starts the same month.  Regardless, we know shooting is likely going to begin early fall.



Hillary Clinton went on record this week saying that if there were a film made about her life, she would "of course" want Meryl Streep to play her.  This is no surprise and has been suggested by others numerous times.  It just so happens that a Hillary Clinton biopic is in my future projects list that I've laid out at the end of my reimagined history.



Finally, The Giver Lois Lowry mentioned a few thoughts on the casting of Meryl as the Chief Elder in the upcoming film adaptation, as well as how her presence may be helpful as a box office draw.  The film opens next month.

By this time next year, I'll have seen five new Streep movies, she'll have filmed Master Class, and hopefully we'll know for sure if The Good House is happening.  It's going to get busy!

Streep to play Maria Callas in Mike Nichols's "Master Class" for HBO

The Wrap revealed late last night that Meryl is set to star as Maria Callas in Master Class, an HBO adaptation of Terrence McNally's play of the same name. Mike Nichols is in place to direct.  Ahhh!  As a fan of La Divina and an even bigger fan of opera in general, the prospect of this project moving forward if very exciting.  This was evidently a passion project for Faye Dunaway, and as recently as last year it was reported that she was already filming.  I'm not sure where this leaves her work, but with this news, one can guess that it's unlikely to see the light of day, which is a shame. I'm sure more details on both projects will surface as filming nears.

Master Class takes place in the early 70's, where Callas is holding a master class at the Julliard School.  At the time, she would've only been in her late 40's.  Perhaps a bit of a stretch for Meryl, but let's remember it's on camera so a 15-year age difference for shouldn't be an issue, especially for Streep.  We'll get to hear some form of Greek accent as well, as Callas is from a Greek family, and although born in New York City, spent many of her formative years in Athens.

With so many new and enticing projects in the pipeline, I've certainly had to mentally modify what I hope Streep does over the next few years.  With Ricki and the Flash likely filming late summer/early fall of this year and Master Class to begin production in January of next year, I'm not sure Meryl is going to be able to squeeze in much else before next spring.  Where does this leave The Good House?  Well, I hope it's still in the mix.  I imagine the script should be nearing completion by now, so hopefully within a year they'll be close to having things together for filming, which would suggest a 2016 release.  What do people think about this "wish list" of a projected timeline?:

2015 Ricki and the Flash (filmed  Aug-Oct ‘14, released June ‘15)

Master Class--TV (filmed Jan-Mar '15, released December '15)

2016 Susan B. Anthony biopic (filmed Aug-Oct ‘15, released August ‘16)

The Good House  (filmed Mar-May ‘16, released Dec ‘16)

2017 The Senator’s Wife  (filmed Sep-Nov ‘16, released October ‘17)

Indira Gandhi biopic (filmed Feb-Apr ‘17, released December ‘17)

I have to stop getting attached to what I "hope" gets made, and just let things happen. Regardless, the future is looking bright for Streep's career.