ROTTEN TOMATOES: Clooney Bails on Carnahan's White Jazz

Clooney Bails on Carnahan's White Jazz

Carnahan in pursuit of "perfect" replacement.

by Jeff Giles | October 23, 2007

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For the second time in a week, Joe Carnahan's White Jazz has hit a bum note.

First, Chris Pine ankled Jazz to star as Kirk in Star Trek XI; now, Entertainment Weekly is reporting that George Clooney has also left the project. According to EW, it's another case of bad timing:

Clooney, who is currently promoting Michael Clayton, shooting the Coen Bros.' Burn After Reading, and trying to finish his football movie, Leatherheads, is now too swamped to take on the role. "It just simply came down to scheduling," says Clooney's producing partner, Grant Heslov. "George continues to believe in the project and in Joe."

According to the EW report, White Jazz's future appears cloudy. It was originally set up at Warner Independent, but a studio spokesperson says the film is no longer on its slate. For Carnahan, however, it's full steam ahead. From the most recent post at Smokin' Joe Carnahan:

In the interest of keeping White Jazz going and my people working, we're in full pursuit of the man I feel is perfect to take over the role of Klein for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is his work ethic, which is unsurpassed.

I want this movie really, really bad. BAD and I'm willing to go to the ends of the earth to pull it off. I just couldn't wait any longer or push back. I need to make this thing ASAP. It's in my blood and my breath and now I need to blast it out into the world.

Source: Entertainment Weekly
Source: Smokin' Joe Carnahan

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(1-9 of 9 posts) | Reply

dahluzz writes:
on Oct 23 2007 06:25 AM

ok joey, settle down. your reputation is on the line with this one and you've just lost your two leads to 'scheduling conflicts.' take a deep breath - oh wait, no, you'd only be inhaling more white jazz. this film WILL flop, primarily because joe is so intent on making it right here, right now, that he'll sacrifice its qualiity in order to get it out of his sytem. plus, he's gotta hustle - he has a pablo escorbar movie to ruin next. how can a guy go from narc to smokin aces? by becoming fixated on his new idea and refusing to compromise - and i mean that in the worst possible sense.

(Reply to this)

largely writes:
on Oct 23 2007 06:45 AM

Did'nt see Smokin aces did'nt want to, but I liked Narc alot. I think what Joe needs to do is look at the canon of Ellroy films so far and decide what he wants, a crime film masterpeice ala Curtis Hanson's LA Confidential or a bloated turd sandwhich like Brian Depalma's Black Dalia. I think this might help put things into perspective, otherwise leave James Ellroy alone and pick on Elmore Leonard or somebody like that.

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cmonsteve writes:
on Oct 23 2007 09:03 AM

so is this a sequel to "L.A. Confidential"? i haven't watched that movie in a while but didn't everything kinda get resolved? but it sounds like there's something wrong with this project if your two stars drop out for "scheduling reasons"
i'm guessing the script sucks and the director is a tool.

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Snarebeast writes:
on Oct 23 2007 01:13 PM

Joe Carnahan is freakin' nuts.

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unbreakable_samurai writes:
on Oct 23 2007 01:41 PM

I hope he gets it going again. Can't blaim Clooney for bailing to work with the Coen brothers again though, which should be damn sweet.

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walkingdead09 writes:
on Oct 23 2007 02:44 PM

Fill me in, what have the Coen brothers done?

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divinecc writes:
on Oct 23 2007 05:33 PM

In reply to this comment (#1217044)
Fargo, The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, etc.

(Reply to this)

walkingdead09 writes:
on Oct 23 2007 06:09 PM

Oh okay, I have seen O'brother where Art Thou, i've heard good stuff about fargo and lebowski, thank you

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jacketman writes:
on Oct 24 2007 12:10 AM

Blood Simple, Raising Arizona, Millers Crossing, The Hudsucker Proxy, The Man Who Wasn't There, and the upcoming No Country For Old Men. That look scary good.

(Reply to this)