One of the planet’s biggest movie stars may star in “Prisoners,” the movie that was supposed to start filming in Derby and Shelton in March.
Leonardo DiCaprio wants to be in the movie, according to a post Friday on Nikki Finke’s “Deadline Hollywood.”
Antoine “Training Day” Fuqua was originally supposed to direct the movie, which “Deadline Hollywood” describes as a cross between Clint Eastwood’s moody drama “Mystic River” and “Taken,” the surprise action hit from 2008.
Fuqua dropped out of “Prisoners” to direct another movie — bringing local pre-production work on the film to a grinding halt.
Earlier this month, Allison Ewart, a staff production coordinator for Alcon Entertainment, said local filming for “Prisoners” was “definitely on hold.”
The producers also posted a message on the CT Film Industry Web site saying “Prisoners” was on hiatus.
The movie company closed its Shelton office in late January.
If the movie’s crew were to regroup, it wouldn’t be until early 2011, Ewart told the Valley Indy.
Still Derby Bound?
What the latest round of “Prisoners” news means for Derby and Shelton wasn’t immediately known.
“Deadline Hollywood“ reported that DiCaprio’s picky about directors, so his participation depends on who is at the helm. The industry news site also notes that DiCaprio will probably do another movie before “Prisoners.”
Alcon’s producers and DiCaprio have filmed in the area before.
Alcon filmed a scene from “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2“ at Griffin Hospital in Derby.
DiCaprio starred with Kate Winslet in “Revolutionary Road,” which filmed scenes on Route 8 near Beacon Falls and at a house in Darien.
At the same time news broke about “Prisoners” going on hiatus, its producers flew to California for a meeting, Derby Economic Development Director Sheila O’Malley said.
Alcon Entertainment continued to talk-up the flick, telling Variety it was still a high priority. The screenplay for the movie was chosen as one of the best unproduced scripts of 2009.
O’Malley and Derby Mayor Anthony Staffieri told the Valley Indy earlier this month that no one from the production company gave official word saying the film was scrapped — only that they were continuing to meet.
“Prisoners” generated a huge buzz in the region, after producers said they needed some 750 extras for a scene to be shot in either Derby or Shelton.
In December, the Derby Board of Aldermen unanimously voted to give producers to use Derby and Derby-related insignia in the movie — or any sequels. The producer, John Starke, wrote a letter saying Derby and its citizens would not be shown in a negative light.
