Invictus (formerly: The Human Factor): Production Information & News.

[Brendan]

http://www.variety.com/VR1117972666.html

Clint Eastwood eyes Mandela film
Morgan Freeman to star in 'Factor'
By MICHAEL FLEMING

A movie about how the 1995 Rugby World Cup helped heal post-apartheid race relations in South Africa is fast becoming a major film event.

Morgan Freeman had already signed on to play Nelson Mandela in "The Human Factor," an adaptation of the John Carlin book "The Human Factor: Nelson Mandela and the Game that Changed the World." Now, Warner Bros. is in talks to finance the picture, with Clint Eastwood eyeing it as a directing vehicle, and Matt Damon in preliminary talks to play the captain of the Springboks.

Freeman and Revelations partner Lori McCreary are producing with Mace Neufeld, and South African scribe Anthony Peckham ("Don't Say A Word") wrote the script.

Freeman, who stars with Jack Nicholson in the upcoming Rob Reiner-directed WB film "The Bucket List," went to South Africa with McCreary last spring to get Mandela's blessing on the project.

Story is set right after the fall of apartheid, and after Mandela was released from a long imprisonment and became South African president. Mandela recognized the significance when South Africa was selected host of the 1995 Rugby World Cup after the team had been barred from even competing since the 1980s because of apartheid.

Eastwood was brought onto the project by Freeman, who starred in the Eastwood-directed "Unforgiven" and "Million Dollar Baby."

Eastwood next directs Angelina Jolie in "The Changeling," a Universal co-production between his Malpaso and Imagine Entertainment.

[Lin Sunderland]

If that comes to fruition it will be fantastic.

[lovelyrita]

If that comes to fruition it will be fantastic.

ABSOLUTELY No Doubt.

[WeAllHaveItCominKid]

If this happens, you can bet on more Oscar's for Eastwood and Morgan Freeman possibly getting a Best Actor nomination, at least!

[Americanbeauty]

I read about it this morning on EW.com.

That's exciting. Eastwood and Freeman teaming up again ...

[MC]

Tremendous. Eastwood and Freeman are a dream team, and Matt Damon is at the top of my list of actors I'd like to see work with Eastwood. Sounds like a great project...

[Gant]

Sounds great.. It was also mentioned (briefly)  in an interview with Freeman in todays Guardian newspaper

[KC]

And here is a link ...

http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,,2178329,00.html

After Street Smart and Driving Miss Daisy, Freeman found himself heavily in demand before settling into a sort of "Bad-Back Pack" of older actors who are never out of work, many of whom have been his co-stars: Gene Hackman (his Unforgiven nemesis), Jack Nicholson (soon to be seen with Freeman in The Bucket Club, about two old farts who escape the terminal ward and do everything they never had the guts to do before they kick the titular pail), Clint Eastwood (who may soon direct Freeman for the third time, as Nelson Mandela) and Anthony Hopkins (a fellow adherent of the "just act, dear boy" school of performance).

[KC]

There's now an IMDb page for this project.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1057500/

[iconfan]

The project is looking more and more (over time) like an actual (next) project for Clint since nobody from Malpaso has issued a denial and especially since IMDB has put up a page for it.

Hopefully they'll start filming this year. (And since the subject matter can be considered Oscar worthy they'll probably release it October or November 2009 much the way The Changeling is being handled (November of this year))

The way things look--Clint's 'back nine' can certainly be considered head and shoulders above his earlier works-He has most definately grown and matured from just a well liked working actor (who also directed many of those same films-which in and of itself is a feat no other actors who've tried can come close to equalling) into a mature, well respected director.

Arguably, since Mystic River, he has chosen and directed much more mature themes than anything he has done earlier in his career. He is an icon who has earned the respect and admiration of not only his audience but his peers as well.

The most highly admirable challenges I have seen him take on- with little (known)complaint- is that many of the latter films he has directed (again, since Mystic River), were given quite shameful budgetary limitations.

And yet-- thanks to the support of the many actors (and especially crew) who worked for much less than they were worth at the time (just for the opportunity to work with the man for two or three months) ---and his ability to get his vision on film DESPITE the challenges a limited budget presents.......those very films went on to not only make money, but were awarded Oscars and multiple other awards as well.

Quite an accomplishment in one lifetime.

[JSE]

Well said iconfan!

[Richard Earl]

I very much agree. I have grown to love Clint as a director. I have paid attention to his directing as of late compared to his acting that I have loved for so many years.

[Americanbeauty]

I just found this Morgan Freeman interview that was published in the November / December 2007 issue of AARP Magazine:

Freeman has no desire to slow down his work pace—“I love moviemaking,” he says. He will produce and star in a film about Nelson Mandela that tells the story of the 1995 rugby World Cup, held in South Africa. “That’s gonna be a real challenge,” he says. He hopes to persuade Clint Eastwood to direct, which would afford him the pleasure of joining two of the three people he says he most admires: Mandela, Eastwood, and the Dalai Lama.

That was close to 5 months ago, but I thought it was still worth mentioning.

The project is looking more and more (over time) like an actual (next) project for Clint since nobody from Malpaso has issued a denial and especially since IMDB has put up a page for it.

Yes, and now it does list Eastwood as the director (see the link in KC's post) -even though if you go on the Eastwood page it says "In talks" next to the film title.

[The Schofield Kid]

Matt Damon has committed to star in "Human Factor," joining Morgan Freeman in the Clint Eastwood-directed film for Warner Bros.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117986842.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

[iconfan]

Great news!

Now if both Mr. Freeman and Eastwood stay in good health (they are both in their seventies!!) so they can film this story next year..... this will be a very good film to add to their resumes (Damon as well)

[peppermint819]

it be nice to see clint and morgan work together hope and keep fingers crossed it come off

[The Schofield Kid]

The title of this topic has been changed to The Human Factor Production News & Information since it will be Clint's next project after Gran Torino. 

[Madison]

Matt Damon has signed on.

Damon will play rugby star Francois Pienaar, who created, with Nelson Mandela, an event that gave whites and blacks in South Africa a common cause to rally around as the country was trying to heal from the wounds of apartheid.

Mandela, freed from 27 years in prison and elected president, decided to get behind South Africa’s Springboks team when the country was selected as host country for the 1985 Rugby World Cup. The Springboks had been banned from international competition because of the country’s apartheid practices.

The majority of blacks viewed the team as a symbol of exclusion, but they rooted along with white countrymen as the Springboks won in overtime against New Zealand to capture the Cup. Pienaar was the Springboks captain who developed a relationship with Mandela during the team’s run.

Freeman and Revelations partner Lori McCreary will produce with Rob Lorenz and Mace Neufeld. Freeman got Mandela’s blessing and brought the project to his pal Eastwood and also to WB, where both Revelations and Eastwood’s Malpaso have their overall deals.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117986842.html?categoryid=13&cs= 1

[KC]

Thanks, Madison. The Schofield Kid already posted a link to that particular item. It's on the previous page. 

http://www.clinteastwood.org/forums/index.php?topic=6950.msg123891#msg123891

[Richard Earl]

This is good news. Clint is a busy man and will be for a long time.