PT Anderson Possibly on ‘Power Play’
Posted by David Hartman (david@filmschoolrejects.com) on June 11, 2008
Word around the campfire is that Jack Nicholson is attached to what is possibly Paul Thomas Anderson’s next film, Power Play, a story about a Native American casino owner who takes on his Las Vegas rivals. There is no official word on this, though.
The potential film’s original story comes from a novella written by the editor-in-chief of Variety, Peter Bart. In 1998, Paramount Pictures acquired the rights to Bart’s novella for producer Robert Evans to develop. During this time, Bart became the subject of harsh criticism when he was accused of writing the 86-page novella for the sole purpose of selling a screenplay, as a way to get around a rule that prohibits Variety reporters from selling screenplays while on the job. Variety reported that the novella was submitted to Paramount under a pseudonym to avoid a conflict of interest. Considering Bart once worked with Robert Evans at Paramount Pictures, I can certainly see where there might be a conflict of interest.
However, regardless of the controversy involving the story, if this is truly Anderson’s next film, I am already excited about it. Not because of it’s plot involving casinos, or Native Americans, or that courtside lunatic from Lakers games, but because it’s PT Anderson. Whatever he delivers next, I expect to be gold. Although, since all of this is 100% rumor, there is a good chance it will never happen.
Source: Cigarettes and Redvines
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