Danny Boyle Cashes in on Slumdog Millionaire

Posted by Adam Sweeney (adam@filmschoolrejects.com) on September 1, 2008

Zombies, heroin, blowing up the sun. Director Danny Boyle has covered it all. Now Fox Searchlight and Warner Bros. are trusting him to handle the most sinister of all topics, “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”

Fox Searchlight and Warner Bros. have announced plans to handle the marketing and distribution of Slumdog Millionaire, an adaptation of the best-selling novel. Slumdog will premiere November 28, 2008 at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Boyle, director of Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, and Sunshine said “I am very grateful to Warner for their careful handling of the film. I had a great time making this movie and I look forward to working with my old friends at Searchlight to ensure that audiences at Toronto and beyond have a great time watching it.”

According to the great folks over at Fox Searchlight, “Slumdog Millionaire is the story of Jamal Malik, an 18 year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, who is about to experience the biggest day of his life. With the whole nation watching, he is just one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on India’s “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”

But when the show breaks for the night, police arrest him on suspicion of cheating; how could a street kid know so much? Desperate to prove his innocence, Jamal tells the story of his life in the slum where he and his brother grew up, of their adventures together on the road, of vicious encounters with local gangs, and of Latika, the girl he loved and lost. Each chapter of his story reveals the key to the answer to one of the game show’s questions.

Intrigued by Jamal’s story, the jaded Police Inspector begins to wonder what a young man with no apparent desire for riches is really doing on this game show?

When the new day dawns and Jamal returns to answer the final question, the inspector and sixty million viewers are about to find out…”

Boyle has always been able to break boundaries on genres that have gone stale, so I have no doubt that he will deliver in Slumdog Millionaire. It probably won’t be a commercial success, but the good thing is that Boyle never really seemed to be in it for the riches to begin with.

What is your favorite Danny Boyle film?

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Conrad Rothbaum

danny boyle is such a versatile filmmaker, im really curious about this one

i was one of about five people who saw and loved sunshine

Patrick Ramser

Favorite Boyle film? Man... probably 28 Days Later, though I loved the sequel and Sunshine also. The Beach is another favorite...

scanain

Sunshine was a brilliant film trapped in a mediocre film. The score and some of the visual elements tied together in a way that I personally felt was a new high for cinema. The major flaw for me was the portrayal of the stress such responsibility would impair - which I found hallow and unrealistic in patches.

Still, my wife hated it - i loved it and still watch snapshots from time to time.

Slumdog seems like the type of film Boyle could make entertaining in his sleep so should be a fun couple of hours.

Will C

I wasn't sure what to think of this, but I trust Boyle and feel he will at least make this an interesting film, if nothing else.

As for my favorite Boyle film, it's either sunshine or 28 Days Later. I loved both of those films.

Drew

The Beach ftw, but Trainspotting holds a special place as well. Why is the Beach so
underrated? It's hardly mentioned in articles about DB.

Jonathan s

I really liked Millions, but i may have been the only person who ever saw it. Was it even released in the states?

Ran

I really liked it too (Millions)
don't know if it was released in the states though, since I'm not from the states. but I think that once a movie is released online there is more chance to come across it.

Diana

Did anyone else notice if Latika's scar was on the wrong side of her face when she was driving the car? I think it started on the left side of her face, moved to the right when she was driving through Mumbai, and then ended up on the left again at the end of the movie. And where is it in the picture above? I may have to see this movie twice just to figure this out.

Dev Patel

You are right Diana. I thought I was the only one that saw this as the person I went with did not see this gaffe. I am proud of your keen eye Diana and I wish you success in life.

Sexy Joey

I spotted it! wooo

Danny Boyle Cashes in on Slumdog Millionaire

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