Steve Martin on Being a Part of MGM's Last Project: MGM was sold to Sony after a date had been set for the release of “The Pink Panther.” After the sale, this film was put on hold as schedules were worked out and a spot was made in Sony’s schedule for “The Pink Panther.” Martin said the process has been a difficult one. “Oh, it's been excruciating to have a movie that's ready to go and then to have the studio be sold, and then to have the project delayed and people think it's because it's no good. Anytime that a movie is delayed that's what people think. I think that the movie speaks for itself now. We had to put up with a lot of gossip about the movie and now that people are seeing it, we're getting very strong reactions - both critically and from the audience.”
Why does Martin believe audiences will connect with this film? “What I know about the movie right now is that all audiences are finding something adorable or funny. It's the kind of movie that hasn't been around for a while. It is essentially clean. It is essential clever, and I think that we like all those people. We like Kevin Kline. We like Jean Reno. We like Emily Mortimer and we like Beyonce, and so they're some nice, happy people that you can watch in the movie and I think that it's a clever film,” offered Martin.
Steve Martin on the Possibility of More “Pink Panther” Movies: Martin said he’s signed on for one more “Pink Panther” film. If it gets greenlit, Martin says it won’t be modeled after an existing “Pink Panther” movie. “No. I think that it would be no. I don't think that there's any reason to remake an old script. I think that we've proven [we can do] a good and funny script.”
Even though Martin doesn’t want to remake any of the “Pink Panther” movies, he didn’t mind the fact this one is simply called “The Pink Panther.” Martin said, “I was actually pushing for 'The Pink Panther.' It gets too complicated. It's been a long time since those movies. I think that it was the '60's and 'The Pink Panther Strikes Again' is just too much. It's 'The Pink Panther.' That's what it is to me. I think that's it's an aesthetic choice, actually.”
Steve Martin on “The Pink Panther” DVD: Martin said he’s thought about what he’d like to see included on the DVD but the decision isn’t up to him. “It's up to Shawn Levy the director and the studio. In fact, I did get a call from Shawn. He said, 'What should we put in the outtakes?' And there are some scenes that were cut for one reason or another that will probably go in there. I'm glad that they will be on there because I think that they were funny.”
Martin admits he’s only a semi-fan of DVD bonus features. “I don't know what I think about all the outtakes and the flubs. It sort of takes the magic away from making a movie, and I always hate those ‘Making Of’ and you see the camera and it's on video. I told Shawn – I mean, we'll do a take seven, twelve, fifteen times to get it right and here's a guy with a video camera going like this and putting your scene on TV, and it just doesn't seem right. So I have a policy of no shooting during takes. You can shoot a rehearsal, but you can't shoot a take.”
