Vin Diesel: Director?

[Cyclotron]

It was with much bemused interest that I discovered that a movie will be coming out, scheduled for 2006, about Hannibal Barca (not the guy who eats people, the Carthaginian general). The surprising part is this: not only is it starring Vin Diesel, but, if you believe the imdb, it's also directed by Vin Diesel.

Whaaa?

Would it be premature to write this one off? Is this, perhaps, a perfect storm of Dieselness that will somehow negate his much talked about failings and create a classic? Can I afford not to see it? The questions turn round and around in my head.

I haven't seen much of the man's movies - I know he was in Saving Private Ryan, but he got killed off pretty quick. Care to place any bets on whether this sees the light of day - and if so, will it suck?

[MosesPresley]

Re: Vin Diesel: Director?

Originally posted by Cyclotron
Is this, perhaps, a perfect storm of Dieselness that will somehow negate his much talked about failings and create a classic?

I'll have to see it based on its potential schlock value alone.

[Dinner]

That guy has always bored me.

[Japher]

I wonder if he'll have the body of a scorpion

[Harry Tuttle]

Originally posted by Japher
I wonder if he'll have the body of a scorpion

That's "The Rock".

[Japher]

Oh yeah...

I wonder if Stiffler will costar?

[Cyclotron]

See, the reason I'm optimistic is that - fundamentally - the story of Hannibal is about a guy who fails in the end. From what I have heard, Diesel's leading roles haven't exactly featured that kind of ending; they are kick-ass fests, where the hero comes out on top. Either we are going to see a brand new type of Diesel action flick, or everyone's favorite ex-bouncer is going to **** history in the *** and have Hannibal crowned emperor of Rome or something.

How will Vin deal with... gasp... playing the losing side?

And no, getting killed first in Saving Private Ryan doesn't count.

[Ted Striker]

Vin Diesel

[Sava]

eh... it will probably be entertaining... but not really a "good" movie.

[Cyclotron]

The plot thickens.

First off, a new reason to vote that the movie will never get off the ground: this financial problem unearthed some time ago on a dubious source called "the movie blog."

http://www.themovieblog.com/archives/2005/03/vin_diesel_working_to_reduce_budget_for_hannibal.html

The second item is that, when I do a google search for this movie, I get a lot of results about how, once upon a time (2003), there were hints of another studio taking on the same project, but with Denzel Washington as the protagonist. That seems to have all but vanished now, however - but one wonders who would make the better Hannibal. With the conflagration that erupted elsewhere on this site over the skin color of Cleopatra for Civ3, one also wonders if this will become a major item of dispute if and when the movie is released: does known white guy Vin belong in the role?

I find myself caught - on the one hand, any actor is capable of the role, and Denzel would probably be a better actor than Vin. On the other hand, is a certain amount of "historical correctness" - even in a racial way - desirable for these sword-and-sandal flicks?

[Gibsie]

Oh yeah? Well beat this:
"Vin Diesel doesn't read in the conventional sense. Rather, the words form into gladiators within his psyche, drawing upon the powers of their respective meanings, and battle until only the strongest survive in an arena of fire."

http://www.4q.cc/vin/

[Cyclotron]

Oh snap!