Genre: Action/Horror/Fantasy.
Studio:
Universal Pictures.
Production Company:
Beacon Pictures.
Project Phase: Greenlighted.
Who's In It:
Arnold Schwarzennegger; Robin Tunney (Christine Bethlehem);
Rod Steiger; Gabriel Byrne (Satan, unconfirmed).
Who's Making It:
Peter Hyams (Director); Andrew Marlowe (Screenwriter); Armyan Bernstein (Producer).
Premise: At the end of the century, Satan visits New York in search of a bride. It's up to an ex-cop who now runs an elite security outfit to stop him.
Release Date: Summer 1999.
Comments: Deadpool writes:
"Tired of facing off against killers, psychos, aliens, super-heroes, terrorists and cyborgs, Arnold will now face the ultimate evil villain, Satan. Let's hope he doesn't go one-on-one at the end of the movie with him."
Scoop Feedback:
[Page draft submitted by NYPD Cop 'Deadpool'.]
March 22, 1998... According to Daily Variety, Arnold Schwarzenegger is set to duel with the Devil in the supernatural thriller End of Days for Beacon Pictures and Universal. Schwarzenegger will join the Air Force One team of Beacon producer Armyan Bernstein and writer Andrew Marlowe on the pic, which Beacon plans to shoot this summer. The film will be financed by Beacon, which will retain worldwide rights. Universal is expected to distribute domestically through its deal with the production company, but that pact hasn't been finalized. This is Schwarzenegger's first film since Batman and Robin (paycheck: $25 mil), and it's thought End of Days will net him around the same number of greenbacks.
Arnold's choice took a lot of people by surprise; up until a couple of weeks ago he was slotted for Ridley Scott's I Am Legend. Instead, Warner Bros. announced the picture's termination ten days ago, freeing up Schwarzenegger's schedule. Another project which he was linked to, the feature S.W.A.T. film, looks like it also got the snub from Arnold as well.
End of Days will have a budget of approximately $100 million and is out to directors right now; Schwarzenegger will have approval of that facet of production as well.
[Scoop provided by 'Deadpool'.] April 19, 1998... CA has learned that Beacon Pictures wants Wolfgang Petersen (Air Force OneProphetic scoop handed in by 'C'.]
July 14, 1998... Marcus Nispel has been selected as the director for the film. Nispel is an accomplished commercial and music video director (he's done some of Boyz II Men and Mariah Carey's videos) and Sony's PR dep't is pushing the story that he can bring fresh and cool imagery to the action thriller. Variety reported that their source said Nispel was getting a mid- to high six figure paycheck for his first feature. Here we are thinking directing movies won't pay your bills; owning your own Starbuck's franchise, now there's where the big bucks are... [Reported by 'keorps', ZENtertainment and anonymously.]
August 23, 1998... An anonymous scooper steps forward from the shadows with a scoop they were told. Seems that representatives of Jean-Claude Van Damme have approached the film's producers about the likelihood of Van Damme starring as the human form of the Devil. Our scooper's source tells us that the reason Van Damme's people have made the overture is because the actors hopes to re-build his fan support which has been slowly eroding over the past few years due to some...bad decisions he's made. [Anonymous.]
September 24, 1998... Finally Satan has found his bride, the lucky woman? Actress Robin Tunney (Supernova, The Craft) will play Christine Bethlehem, a daycare teacher who is the devil's unwilling chosen one and who helps Arnie in his battle to stop him. Talking about the devil, rumors are flying that actor Rod Steiger will play Lucifer. Any Scoopers can confirm this information? [First Appeared in Daily Variety]
September 27, 1998... Could this be true? "I have news from a great source that the Devil will be played by none other than Robert De Niro." [Scoop sent in Anonymously]
October 4, 1998... Some disturbing news: "This morning, Friday, October 2, 1998, the director of record of End of Days, Marcus Nispel, was fired and the production was put on hold. All New York photography (of which I was to be gainfully employed by through December) has been ceased, and the crew has been released. A new director is now being sought. The reasons are the following: The director was not behaving in a professional or rational manner when it came to fiscal issues in relation to the shooting schedule and the budget. The show was well over the $100 million mark, and was steadfastly increasing. Apparently, the director got on well with Mr. Schwarzennegger,initially. But when Mr. S and the producers, began to experience his histrionic diva-like behavior (he threatened to quit almost daily), he was deemed a serious liability and terminated. The show will go on as Mr. S. has a pay or play deal. The producers are not concerned with the director, the cachet is Mr. S., and since he's been agreeable throughout this entire ordeal a new candidate should be annointed soon. The shoot will begin in LA and finish in New York next spring. With the tantrums and fits the director has thrown (in front of all), you'd think he'd have an Oscar, or at the very least a SINGLE credit directing a feature!" We'll watch the trade to see if this is true. [Scoop sent in anonymously]
October 7, 1998... False alert: "Director back on board, mea culpas all around- budget to be slashed dramatically... still postponed but alive." [Scoop sent in anonymously]
October 20, 1998... So it seems that someone close to the End of Days production sent us some spin on October 7th to try and delay the news of Marcus Nispel leaving the production. Today Nispel's replacement was announced, and that person is Peter Hyams (Capricorn One, 2010).
Hyams had been working on an asteroid picture for James Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment a few years back (a work-in-progress called Brightly Falling Angels), and word is Cameron put in a good work for Hyams with Schwarzennegger and that's how he got the gig. Hyams is already at work on fine-tuning the script with screenwriter Andrew Marlowe. Filming is set to begin in late November. [Thanks to 'Deadpool', 'masque', 'Home Skully' and anonymous.]
The Hyams announcement generated this piece of interesting feedback from one of our regular scoopers from over the years. "It's kind of sad that Beacon has had to turn to such a 'by-the-numbers' type of director just to keep Mr. S happy. Although Nispel may have been something of a Primadonna, at least he held the promise of bringing something new and exciting to an otherwise mediocre script. BOLD PREDICTION: This flick is going to be the next Waterworld. Mark my words...} [Sent in by Diane.]
October 22, 1998... One of CA's most trusted plants has been keeping a close eye on this film, watching, waiting, listening and then reporting to us the latest. This past week our agent sent word to meet them at a crowded restaurant not that far from Universal's lot. We showed up and spotted the individual at the back of the restaurant, menu placed strategically to block out curious patrons. After sitting down and ordering a spritzer (we have to look incognito, y-see?), Agent X unloaded the goods.
With Nispel gone and Hyams on-board, script revisions are coming in at the rate of about one per week, making any older scripts seemingly outdated. "If anything, the new scripts look better, but are no less gruesome," our agent told us, in-between their appetizer and entree. After a short pause as they looked around the room to make sure no Universal suits were about, they leaned in closer and whispered this under their breath (thankfully our microphones embedded in our shirt collars are top dollar stuff):
"The production office in Santa Monica 'reeks' of big budget. Huge staff. Huge stacks of actor video tapes on the floors of people who would not generally toss their hat in the ring for smaller parts. Huge elaborate story boards along the hallway walls for the special effects sequences."
"Jackie Burch is casting. Impressive operation, with or without Marcus Nispel at the helm." With that, our agent got up to depart, vowing to catch up with us for another dinner date. [Thanks to our anonymous source.]
November 9, 1998... We're told that Rod Steiger plays a priest of some sort in End of Days and not Satan. Our scooper heard this direct from Andrew Marlowe, the movie's screenwriter. ['Wong Fei Hung'.]
November 10, 1998... There's been a flurry of rumors that Gabriel Byrne may be close to signing to play Satan. Gabriel Byrne as Satan...hmm... [Just about everybody and their dog gets credit for this scoop.]
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