The Fighter is a natural awards bait movie but producer David Hoberman says that in today's Hollywood, studios didn't want to make it. Directed by David O. Russell, and starring Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, it started as a $70 million film produced by Paramount and ended up as an $18 million film made with outside money from Relativity Media. Along the way Matt Damon and Brad Pitt showed interest as did Director Darren Aronofsky but all dropped out leaving the producers to scramble. Plus, Christian Bale's performance in The Fighter is generating Oscar buzz, but in an Esquire magazine Q&A he goes a few rounds with the writer. We talk with John H. Richardson about his unconventional and utterly entertaining encounter with this reluctant celebrity.
Today's Banter Topics:
Blue Valentine's successful ratings appeal to the MPAA
New $20,000 service to bring movies to homes day and date with theatrical release
Directors' Guild contract deal with the studios
Banner image: Producer David Hoberman and actor Mark Wahlberg on the set of The Fighter