Genre: Thriller/Romance.
Studio:
United Artists.
Production Company:
Irish Dreamtime Productions.
Project Phase: Greenlighted.
Who's In It:
Pierce Brosnan; Rene Russo; Denis Leary (Ed Malone); Faye Dunaway.
Who's Making It:
Chris McQuarrie (Screenwriter). A remake of the 1968 film The Thomas Crown Affair.
Premise: After a rich playboy orchestrates a complex bank heist, a female insurance investigator tracks him down.
Release Date: 1999.
Comments: None.
Rumors: Unknown.
Scoop Feedback:
September 23, 1996... The studio is negotiating with The Usual Suspects screenwriter Chris McQuarrie to pen the script. It should begin production shortly after Brosnan finishes up work on Bond 18, which would probably mean a summer 1997 start date. [Project announcement and information provided anonymously.]
May 28, 1998... This week Pierce Brosnan officially commits to star in this film. Meanwhile, United Artists is considering a "star actress" for the female lead. Brosnan will work on the remake before shooting begins on the 19th James Bond film. John McTiernan, who previously directed Brosnan in Nomads, is negotiating to direct the film.[Thanks to William Wilson, Ellen and 'Hawkeye'.]
A Dutch TV magazine, Veronica, reports that Brosnan wants Cameron Diaz to play his romantic lead in the movie. [Flexed by 'Narc'.]
August 11, 1998... Rene Russo and Denis Leary have now joined the cast. Filming is slated to slart next month in New York City and will last three months (which is strange since the original film took place in Boston.) [Thanks to 'Sir Geddy', 'trentonuk', 'rfholz', 'Timvitotv', 'Lord Vader', 'jalvarez' and anonymous.]
October 8, 1998... Our scoopers are everywhere! From the guy who serves you fries at Mickey D's to the banker down on Wall Street--you never know where we'll be. In fact, the latter example wrote in with some stuff. Apparently, outside his bank on the 5th and 6th of this month, there were two trailers with some filming going on. With Pierce Brosnan in attendance, the scooper originally thought that he was witnessing some shooting on Bond 19, but once he saw Rene Russo there as well, he knew it was something else--namely this project. So, if you're in the Big Apple--be aware that the cast and crew of Thomas Crown are among you...but so are we. (Maniacal laughter and stuff) [Thanks to Agent 'Sonny' for the info.]
November 1, 1998... 'Sadius' reports that the production is filming scenes in Whiteplains, New York, right now -- specifically, on a castle found in Manhattanville College. Renee Russo and Pierce Brosnan have been seen walking around the campus. Two weeks previously the production was shooting on-water sequences at Long Island Sound out of Norwalk, CT. They were using Formula 40 catamarans which were supplied by (plug plug) The Multihull Source of Wareham, MA. ['Sadius' and Ira Heller scooped us.]
November 10, 1998... Two scoops on the Ballroom scenes that were shot last week:
"I live about 20 minutes away from Manhattanville College where they are filming at Reid Castle. They are filming there for one of the ballroom scenes, but they won't say which one. The rumor is it is the very personal scene just between the two of them, but they aren't saying. They also said that shooting should wrap up in January." [Left by 'Sadius'.]
"Today they have finished shooting the scenes in the castle, supposedly they dealt with a dinner party in someone's fancy home. The set was decorated with numerous paintings which, as it was rumored, are the ones Pierce Brosnan's character will steal in the movie. The two actors took time off to sign autographs and take pictures with the students of Manhattanville College. Rene Russo was specially generous with the students and spent a fair amount of time with them. The crew is heading back to the city to finish shooting."[Scoop provided by 'JP912'.]
December 1, 1998... We're told that Faye Dunaway just signed the contract for a cameo in the film. [Scooped by 'The Law'.]