That’s a project that Jonathan Mostow approached me about, and he’d murder me if I said anything about the plot. Jonathan had this incredible story that he pitched me. I remember when I saw “Breakdown,” I was just blown away by what Jonathan was able to do with a suspense film. I think that he’s really excited about the project, and I’m excited to see where Jonathan will take it. We’re still putting the finishing touches on it and going back and forth with the script. But I’m really excited about what’s going to become of that film, too.
Mostow has said he’s tired of people saying they’re making the scariest film of the year and then not delivering. Will this one deliver?
I hope so, I hope so (laughing). I don’t want to write checks my butt can’t cash. We’re trying very hard. I think that we’re really trying to put something together that would, I hope, do Hitchcock proud. I seem to be getting into satisfying a lot of my Hitchcockian urges lately, in terms of writing.
That’s a good thing, right?
I hope so. I just hope the movies turn out well.
What’s “Bessie?”
(Laughing) “Bessie” is my “King Kong.” I hope to make “Bessie” sooner rather than later. It’s about being able to have full creative control. I’m still tinkering with the script. I can’t wait to make that film.
Is it a comedy?
There’s plenty of comedy but there’s also a lot of suspense, and a little bit of horror as well (laughing).
Is it another one of your potential projects you can’t say much about? What’s the storyline?
It would be pretty impossible to explain the story, but it just involves a genetically designed, upright walking cow-beast.
I totally want to see that movie.
I do, too.
Anything else?
There’s a couple of other projects that are also ready to go. There’s a project called “Southland Tales,” a script that I’m going to direct. And there’s also a project called “Into the Great Wide Open.”
Are these projects you’re going to do after “Knowing?”
Yeah, I’m hoping to do “Southland Tales,” or possibly “Bessie,” or possibly this film called “Into the Great Wide Open,” after “Knowing.” But I just don’t know which one will fall into place because of casting and budget. I have more than one ball kind of up in the air.
Can you describe what these two films are about?
“Southland Tales” is more my kind of “‘Pulp Fiction”-type film. “Into the Great Wide Open” is kind of a big action movie. Kate Hudson is attached to star and I’m just waiting for Kate to have her baby and decide when she wants to make the film.
Will Kate play a superhero-type character?
It’s definitely a dramatic piece, a supernatural piece, but also a big action film at the same. If I pitched it at you it would probably not make any sense (laughing).
Does it have a comic book feel?
No, I think that the comic book thing was specific to “Donnie Darko.” The subsequent films are going to be a lot more… They are all going to be modern pieces and they are all going to be specific to the real world, as opposed to a stylized, period thing that was specific to “Darko.”
Will “Into the Great Wide Open” involve a lot of CGI and effects?
I think that you could plan on that, yeah.
What kind of budget are you looking at?
It’s yet to be determined but it’s probably the most expensive of the projects. Like I said, I’m just waiting on Kate to decide what she wants to do after she has her baby. I’m looking forward to collaborating with her. I think she’s incredible.
How did Kate Hudson get involved?
I brought it to Kate because she’s one of my favorite actresses. I’m just glad she responded to the material. I’ve been working closely with her over the past couple of years on the script, and getting it fine-tuned to her specifications. I love collaborating with an actor at the offset because I think it just invests them in the process. She’s going to be producing the film with her company.
Collaborating with an actor while you’re actually working on the script, doesn’t that get a little bit confusing? Don’t they look at things more from their career perspective?
I think that a great actor can be very articulate. Surprisingly, they’re very astute when it comes to developing a screenplay because they come at it from a performance angle. They can key into the dialogue and what is working, what is false, and what is true. I’ve had nothing but great experiences in collaborating with actors in developing screenplays. I think it comes down to are they a good actor or not. Fortunately I’ve had the opportunity to work with good ones.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
"Donnie Darko" Q&A with Richard Kelly
"Donnie Darko" Photos, Movie Review, Credits, and DVD Review
