Ask Joe a Question Poster Contest Entries See Joe's Answers Get the RSS Feed Smokin' Joe Carnahan
Blog
KILLING PABLO (UPDATE!) 03/18/2007 at 10:04 AM

Guys:

For those of you who don't know of Mark Bowden's fascinating book 'Killing
Pablo: The Hunt For The World's Greatest Outlaw' you should get onto Amazon
immediately and buy it. It remains, along with Jon Krakauer's 'Into Thin Air' my
favorite non-fiction book and the subject of an upcoming movie that hopefully,
(fingers and toes crossed) I will be starting in the spring of next year, after I wrap
'White Jazz'. The 'Pablo' story has been a ongoing obsession for me for some time,
dating back to my first inquiring about the rights while I was still working on 'Narc'.
If you're familiar with it, you know what a supremely Shakespearian tale it is.
When I try to explain the scale and scope of that story, I always use the analogy of
a person or individual declaring war on the state of California (roughly the same
population as Colombia) and BEATING THEM. That's what Pablo Escobar did...and
people never believe me. So I do what I'm doing here, which is encouraging you to read
the book, which is the most profound, in-depth account of meglomania and
unchecked individual power that I have ever read. You will never again have the
same concept of 'juice' once you've read that book. You think Trump has got some
pull? Read 'Killing Pablo'. What Trump or Bramson or any of those guys have is
f*cking 'kiddie pool' by comparison.

I won't share any kind of casting news now but there have been a handful of cats so far
(a recent Oscar winner among them) that have basically told me 'Where' and 'When'
and they're in. If I can clear it with the powers that be, I'll put the script up here
on the blog, even though there seems to be a copy circulating somewhere on the
net. If any of you can provide a link so I can verify this, then I'll put the 'proper'
script up here. At that point it's 'no harm, no foul' as far as I'm concerned.

Alright folks. I know I still owe a whole backload of questions answered. You
should know that I've gotten through about half of the questions posted and will
do my best this week to get through the rest and get them up....SOON.

JC

PS: MET WITH BARDEM JUST LAST NIGHT. NOT SAYING ANYTHING MORE THAN
THAT MEETING WENT 'VERY WELL.'

I'LL SAY NO MORE.
Comments
  Posted by: DanV 03/18/2007 at 11:39 PM

Dear: JC,

You left the door of speculation open so this is my early odds on favorites. I'm assuming your definition of "recent Oscar Winner" is within the last seven years.


Actor Film Odds
Forrest Whitaker 06-Last King Scotland 1:5
Helen Mirren 06-The Queen 1:40
Alan Arkin 06-Little Ms Sunshine 1:40
Jennifer Hudson 06-Dreamgirls 1:100
Philip Hoffman 05-Capote 1:20
Reese Wspoon 05-Walk the Line 1:500
George Clooney 05-Syriana 1:10
Rachel Weisz 05-The Gardener 1:25
Jamie Foxx 04-Ray 1:20
Hilary Swank 04-Million $ Baby 1:25
Morgan Freeman04-Million $ Baby 1:25
Cate Blanchett 04-The Avaiator 1:25
Sean Penn 03-Mystic River 1:10
Charlize Theron 03-Monster 1:20
Tim Robbins 03-Mystic River 1:30
Renee Zweger 03-Cold Mountain 1:50
Adrien Brody 02-The Pianist 1:30
Nicole Kidman 02-The Hours 1:10
Chris Cooper 02-Adaptation 1:50
Catherine Jones02-Chicago 1:10
Denzel Wshgton01-Training Day 1:10
Halle Berry 01-Monster’s Ball 1:5
Jim Broadbent 01-Iris 1:75
Jennifer Conely 01-A Beautiful Mind 1:10
Russell Crowe 00-Gladiator 1:4
Julia Roberts 00-Erin Brockovich 1:100
Benicio Toro 00-Traffic 1:2
Marcia Harden 00-Pollock 1:50

Take Care,
DanV
  Posted by: Joe C. 03/18/2007 at 11:43 PM

Danv:

Last two years bro and none of the above!
  Posted by: Joe C. 03/18/2007 at 11:44 PM

Strike that. One of them is, yes. There is ANOTHER!
  Posted by: muzzleflash 03/19/2007 at 03:29 AM

Definitely anyone who hasn't read the book should pick it up. Mark Bowden is great at making what is normally documentary details read like great fiction. It's just as gripping and amazing as any thriller. That fact that it's all real makes it that much more unbelievable!

Can't wait to hear your casting choices, Joe.

  Posted by: steve 03/19/2007 at 09:34 AM

Danv, I like the odds you gave Reese....pretty funny
  Posted by: Alec 03/19/2007 at 09:40 AM

So your a Jon Krakauer's 'Into Thin Air' fan? I read that last year in High school. It's a really awesome mountain climbing type story!
Alec
  Posted by: steve 03/19/2007 at 09:41 AM

Danv, I like the odds you gave Reese....pretty funny
  Posted by: Doubler 03/19/2007 at 12:47 PM

Please let it be Jamie Foxx!
  Posted by: Doubler 03/19/2007 at 12:50 PM

Last two years, and only one has been mentioned?

I'm going to say it's not an actor/actress, but another "crew" member, and I'm going to go with music and say Ennio Morricone.
  Posted by: Justin 03/19/2007 at 02:12 PM

Sounds awesome, I had heard rumblings about Bardem as Pablo...I'm sure you can't answer but (just in case) any truth to that?
Post a comment
Name


Email


URL




Comments:


Ask Joe a Question See Joe's Answers Get the RSS Feed Smokin' Joe Carnahan