Spielberg Getting Topical with Streep and Hanks
Monday, March 6, 2017 at 10:00PM Chris here, with one of the biggest powerhouse team-ups we've seen in ages. Steven Spielberg has signed up both Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks for The Post, a historical drama about the Pentagon Papers from a script by Liz Hannah. For the unfamiliar, the Pentagon Papers were classified documents used by The Washington Post to prove President Johnson lied to the public to advance the Vietnam public. So expect a solid dose of topicality to go with the star wattage, and do try to keep the Oscar talk at bay.
Can you believe this will be the first screen pairing of Streep and Hanks? Though Hanks is a Spielberg perennial, Streep has only done voice work for Spielberg on A.I. - it's somewhat depressing that it takes a project that reflects our own terrifying political climate to get this convergence of legends to finally happen. Without a start date announced, we can guess that we might be waiting a bit for the film considering Spielberg's packed schedule. A fifth Indiana Jones has been officially slated for summer 2019 with the director attached, plus Ready Player One in the can for next year and The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara set to shoot this year. The director isn't a stranger to jammed schedules, but he's about to be on his way to a well-earned nap.
Reader Comments (39)
I am going to make a totally NGNG prediction: John Williams is nominated for this.
Given the topicality, I wouldn't be surprised if Spielberg juggled his schedule to make this happen sooner. Wouldn't be the first time he reshuffled projects.
Is Streep's 4th coming? asdfkalsdjf
I'm so excited for this!!! Spielberg has always praised Streep and stated his desire to work with her on something other than AI. I'm a little weary it could go the way of the Manchurian Candidate but my hopes are high for this one.
As for Streep getting her fourth, I could see it if it really all does come together. Hopefully we will see Hanks get his next nom after being ignored time after time.
I was just reading the article shared here about Zodiac and how we will start to see more pictures about the power of the pen...it seems that this is highly likely and this will be the stars aligning to prove the press is our mightiest weapon against tyranny.
Steve G: Absolutely. He can do Indiana Jones 5 anytime (we can wait a year), but shooting this and that Edgardo Mortara movie back to back would be the best move Spielberg could do.
Let's hope this movie happens, and soon.
FINALLY Meryl Streep gets the superstar director and high calibre project that her talents deserve after years of projects that had little to recommend them aside from her great performance. In other words, this is the first Streep project in a long time that feels like a FILM first and a vehicle for her next Oscar nominated performance, second. An actress of her stature at this stage in her career should be working with all the legendary directors and it's clearly only Hollywood sexism + ageism that has prevented that.
Tyson: Hmm. Yeah, we probably will. One that I'd absolutely imagine Hollywood wanting to do: Upton's Seven Weeks. It allows a director to do a movie of The Jungle without having to, fully, commit to doing a movie of The Jungle. (Which...blurgh...can someone wipe my...blurgh) I'd hope for Jeremy Saulnier getting that.
Fantastic!
Who will they cast for the Daniel Ellsberg role?
Domnhall Gleeson or Adam Driver?
Or Ryan Gosling. He still has so much potential.
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Off topic but if y'all haven't seen the Instagram love between Barry Jenkins and Queen Isabelle, I urge you to do so right now. It's so frickin' cute! Queen Isabelle joined Instagram exactly two months ago and looks like a great place to keep up with her life and work.
Yawn. Not interested.
Lions for Lambs...
Hold your horses! Lions for Lambs (Streep + Redford + Cruise) failed.
Am I the only person ho loves Streep in The Manchurian Candidate.
Mark
I love her too.
Spielberg + Streep + Hanks... that sounds very interesting.
About LIONS FOR LAMBS : Spielberg is a better director than Redford and, of course!, Hanks is a better actor than Cruise (so much better!).
Let's wait and see.
I love it when people say Meryl Streep should work with top directors and when she does they find some ways to kind of dismiss her in advance.
This will be amazing! So excited😀
It's nice to see a very big director making a movie with a woman in a significant role (Spielberg sort of did this with The BFG as well, although most of the attention was focused on Rylance). I hope he still makes It's What I Do, as well.
He's done two films in one year several times already. I wouldn't be surprised if this comes out within a couple of years.
As great as Spielberg is, since most of his films are so male heavy, it really is surprising to see him work with such a heavyweight actress as Streep. I mean, sure, he gets good performances out of most of the actresses he works with but he hardly ever works with the biggest female names.
I look forward to this. It's time for an All the Presidents Men type dramatic thriller, especially since Trump = Nixon. And the hairstyle on Kay Graham was legendary.
Mortara: shoting until june. Realease: december
Ready player one: post production. Realease: march/18
Indy 5: realease July 2019.
So... Let's face that Meryl + Hanks + Spielberg Will work next year. Maybe december 2019 realease. Like Schindler's list / Munich year.
@jack
Ikr?
I just don't know what people want.....
(I really liked Lion for Lambs. For me it's underrated. Not flawless, but has many interesting scenes, esp. the ones between Meryl and Tom Cruise.)
But tbh I'm mainly looking foward to some instagram fun with Tom Hanks and Meryl. <3
yawn from me too. I must say - there are several other very good & skilled older / mature actresses that should be considered for plumb roles as well as well - starting with Miss Dunaway, there's also Angelica Houston, Cher, Sally Field, Glen Close (who I just say in Sunset Blvd this past weekend), Ann-Margret (yes), Jane Fonda, Julie Christie. Lily Tomlin. Many others. Meryl should not get every single role featuring women 60+ . Come on! Give someone else a chance.
Why on earth would Cher be considered for a lead dramatic movie role as Kay Graham in 2017? LOL
I also don't buy the gripe that Streep "gets all the roles." She is legend, but she only works once or twice a year, and gets cast infrequently. Blaming her for Hollywood not making more movies about women seems illogical.
With all due respect, the argument that Streep is getting every good role for "of age" actresses is hogwash. It's not like she's making four or five movies per year. It seems every time she gets a role now, there are complaints that she is taking all the parts. Let's be realistic, as sad as it is to think about, Streep is not going to be around forever. Who can blame her for her wanting to get as many good parts as she can before the end of her career?
jimmy, it's interesting that you suggest casting someone else and then mention seeing Glenn Close in Sunset Blvd. Of course, that originally was supposed to star Patti Lupone - and there's no reason for Glenn to star in the revival now, this many years later. How many times is she going to milk that part? Now that would be a great opportunity for a less famous actress.
Streep doesn't even have a movie coming out until December 25, 2018 (Mary Poppins returns). That's a 2 1/2 year break. She's hardly hogging all the films.
I'm on board with this one. But folks should calm down--I think Streep and Hanks are lending their star power so this story can be told (and sold), as supporting characters (Graham and Bradlee). The larger story is Daniel Ellsberg, Nixon, Kissinger, and John Mitchell, and the Supreme Court.
I read Katherine Graham's biography years ago (which won a Pulitzer), and was fascinated. Meryl Streep is on roll to portray some of the most important women in history. Good for her!
Was hoping this was an announcement for a 2020 ticket - Streep 4 Prez, Hanks 4 Veep. & Spielberg Chief of Staff...
Boring.
Exciting.
I turned it down. Can't you please avoid petty jealousy. Of all times now since your name is completely irrelevant. The winner is La La Land.
I agree. Change your name to gr8ful. Viola won. Why are you bearing a cross. Evolve.
The movie will start shooting thiscoming May and be a contender for 2018 oscar. Miracle.
Nathaniel- of course I am curious to hear your thoughts on this- too much Oscar bait here or a match made in Oscar heaven?
Streep/ Spielberg collaboration- do you think this may be a good thing for Streep? Think this will remove some of the "ham" in her acting she has recently been accused of?