CRY MACHO: Production Information and News

[AKA23]

I have some great news! After starring in "The Mule" in 2018, Clint Eastwood is planning to return to the screen yet again for "Cry Macho."

Even as the industry slowly gets back to work, Clint Eastwood looks to be moving quickly to get his next movie going. Deadline hears the iconic director is coming on to direct and star in Cry Macho for Warner Bros. While it?s unknown about a start date or when it might be released, sources say Eastwood has already begun scouting locations for the shoot.

Based on the book, the film will star Eastwood as a onetime rodeo star and washed-up horse breeder who, in 1978, takes a job from an ex-boss to bring the man?s young son home and away from his alcoholic mom. Crossing rural Mexico on their back way to Texas, the unlikely pair faces an unexpectedly challenging journey, during which the world-weary horseman may find his own sense of redemption through teaching the boy what it means to be a good man. The New York Times described it as a morality tale about two characters who help each other through tough transitions.

https://deadline.com/2020/10/clint-eastwood-cry-macho-warner-bros-1234582757/

What does everyone think about this? Does this sound like a project you'd like to see and a good role for Clint? This sounds to me like it may be thematically and tonally similar to "Gran Torino, and also reminds me of "A Perfect World." Is anyone familiar with this book?

[AKA23]

The report from "Variety" shares some interesting additional details, including that Clint himself planned to star in this back in 1988!

The project was unveiled during the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, where the New York Times reported that Arnold Schwarzenegger was attached to star with Ruddy producing, Brad Furman directing and plans to shoot in New Mexico. Eastwood had once before intended to star and direct, but had put it aside in favor of 1988?s ?The Dead Pool,? in which he portrayed his signature Harry Callahan character.

https://variety.com/2020/film/news/clint-eastwood-cry-macho-1234791302/

[Matt]

Exciting news!

What does everyone think about this? Does this sound like a project you'd like to see and a good role for Clint?

It does sound like a good project. Funny he had put it off to do Dead Pool and 30+ years later comes back to it.

[Christopher]

This does sound interesting. As I was reading the description I thought of Honkytonk Man, though Red is an alcoholic instead of taking the kid away from one.

[-satu-]

How exciting! It sounds like he?s just not made for staying still, and not working. Great news for us of course.

[The Schofield Kid]

Great news. looking forward to it. As I've said in the past, it doesn't matter what the film is, Clint could make a film about two ants crossing a NYC street and I'll be there to see it.

[antonis]

Mr Eastwood wearing a cowboy hat... 

[AKA23]

I would love to learn the story of how this project came to the attention of Clint 30 years later. If true that he planned to make this in 1988, that is quite the unexpected turn of events. I am also wondering how he can play a character that was intended to be played by someone in their 50s or 60s thirty years later as a 90 year old man. Perhaps thats part of what Nick Schenk will be doing in his rewrite of the script.

This is noteworthy on multiple levels. It is the first film not based on true events that he has directed since Gran Torino, and the first film based on a book since Million Dollar Baby in 2004. It also reteams him with Al Ruddy, who also produced that film, and Nick Schenk, who wrote Gran Torino and The Mule. I did not think we would see him act again after The Mule, so this is surprising on so many levels

[Perry]

         It's from a 1976 novel. Yeah, try buying the paperback novel on Amazon to even investigate . It's selling for $855.00....bwhahahaha

[Christopher]

I hadn't looked up the book yet but was meaning to, so thanks for mentioning that, Perry. I guess the good news is the book might get printed again.

[Gant]

Great news. Something to look forward to..

[Gant]

I think this sounds like an ideal project for Mr Eastwood..

[AKA23]

It will be great to see Clint onscreen. I always prefer projects in which he acts to ones in which he does not, so I'm definitely happy to see him act again. I'm not sure what to think of this project though. He decided not to do it thirty years ago in favor of "The Dead Pool," which is one of his weaker efforts. Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn't have the highest quality project selections, and he once was attached to this. The screenplay has been around for thirty years and still has not been made. It's going to be rewritten by Nick Schenk, and neither of the Eastwood films he wrote had particularly good screenplays. Both were carried on the strength of Eastwood's performance. This project also seems to be treading very familiar ground. He's already done several other family dramas focusing on conservative, cantankerous old men, "Million Dollar Baby," "Trouble with the Curve," "Gran Torino," and "The Mule." Teaching the kid how to be a man sounds very similar to "Gran Torino" to me, in particular. I'm really hoping it's good, and I'm definitely looking forward to it, but I'm not sure if its an ideal project or not! Hope to hear soon who else is chosen for the cast!

[Gant]

Is this going to be the first Eastwood character who?s story is set in the 70?s since... the 70?s ?

[AKA23]

Is this going to be the first Eastwood character who?s story is set in the 70?s since... the 70?s ?

Gant, if it's actually set in the 70's, I think so. I think the articles were pulling that summary from the book synopsis upon which the movie is based. I don't know if the eventual film will be updated to closer to modern day, or set in the 1970's, per the book. That's another intriguing element of this project.

[Perry]

 From some of the obscure sites I've learned about the book it seems it's kind of a morality tale with the two main characters where it ends up being a episodic traveling situation to boot.

[AKA23]

 From some of the obscure sites I've learned about the book it seems it's kind of a morality tale with the two main characters where it ends up being a episodic traveling situation to boot.

Perry, based on your research, does this sound like a good film and role for Eastwood to do? Also, do you think it will be more of a comedy or a drama? IMDB lists it as a drama/thriller, which doesn?t seem to fit the book description to me.

[Gant]

I think it feels like a good fit... It can?t be easy finding lead roles for actors in Eastwood age range..
I really liked The Mule but I?m very happy that Clint?s going before the cameras again..

[honkytonkman]

His ability to remain so prolific and active at his age is truly astounding ... It seems that he has found in Nick Schenk an ideal collaborator, in the sense that he seems comfortable writing screenplays with old characters. , and that his writing is close to Eastwood themes. We recently saw Eastwood skiing in the company of Schwarzenegger, and they obviously strike up a certain friendship, which may suggest that the idea to relaunch this project may have come from Schwarzie, since the script passed through him at a certain time. . So it wouldn't be surprising to see Schwarzie play alongside Eastwood in the film. I am also delighted to see Eastwood finally tackle an original story, without being inspired by real events ...

[Perry]

        To be honest Honkytonk Man, I can't even gauge what this movie or the book would be about in any specific answer. Most of what I've read are pretty much blurbs and I've gotten different takes on what I've read as well. Is it a comedy-drama?..A episodic morality tale?.. A movie about redemption?.. That's pretty much like every one else here has read.... So it's pretty ambiguous. I'm just hoping it has an edge to it. It's a shame you can't get the original novel......