Aviator, The

By: Corona's Coming Attractions
Date: Tuesday, June 08, 2004

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Genre:
Drama/Historical.

Studio:
Warner Bros./Miramax Films

Production Company:
Forward Pass/Appian Way/Cappa Productions/Initial Entertainment Group.

Project Phase:
Post-production.

Who's In It:
Leonardo DiCaprio (Howaard Hughes); Barry Pepper (Glenn Odekirk); Cate Blanchett (Katharine Hepburn); Kate Beckinsale (Ava Gardner); Kelli Garner (Faith Domergue); Gwen Stefani (Jean Harlow); Adam Scott (Johnny Meyer).

Who's Making It:
Martin Scorsese (Director); John Logan (Screenwriter).

Premise:
Not content with conquering industry and business, millionaire Howard Hughes embarks on new pursuits of opportunity. Between the years 1928 and 1947, Hughes dabbled in making Hollywood movies, had romantic affairs with Tinseltown's leading women and created the world's biggest airplane, the Spruce Goose.

Release Date:
November 2004.

Comments:
Logan's 171 page script could easily translate into a three-hour, $120 million dollar production -- shades of Scorsese's last film, GANGS OF NEW YORK. And Miramax wasn't too happy with the grosses there.

Scoop Feedback:

January 9, 2003... CINESCAPE spoke with Leonardo DiCaprio recently concerning his upcoming role as Howard Hughes in Martin Scorsese's THE AVIATOR, which will focus on the early part of Hughes life when he was a young, glamorous millionaire who built his fortune on aerospace.

DiCaprio is prepping for the role, he says: "I'm going to watch the rare amount of footage that there is on him. I've already read numerous books and accounts of his life."

So what's distinctive about Hughes, Leo? "He pushed every environment around him to its utter extremes. He was so driven and he was a pioneer in the world of aviation. He was a huge director in Hollywood. He was a womanizer. But more important, as a character study, he was a germaphobe, and he was somebody that was obsessive compulsive." [Source: Cinescape.]

March 10, 2003... Always at the leading edge of breaking character sides, the FilmJerk website has now broken the news that Nicole Kidman has exited THE AVIATOR project for Martin Scorsese. Kidman was to play screen legend Ava Gardner in the film and now a replacement is being sought. A casting notice was sent out last week to agents alerting them of the opening.

THE AVIATOR stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a young Howard Hughes and follows the eccentric millionaire's exploits in Hollywood and in setting aviation records. Scorsese wants to cast modern-day celebs in the roles of the superstars of yesterday, such as Spencer Tracy, Jean Harlow, Errol Flynn and former MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer. According to the casting sheet FilmJerk obtained, the actress who would suit the role of Ava Gardner is someone who is "sultry, sexy and voluptuous, and [emits] a raw sexuality." [It came from FilmJerk.]

April 15, 2003... Barry Pepper is a good actor who, when I think of him, is remembered for his role in Steven Spielberg's SAVING PRIVATE RYAN instead of BATTLEFIELD EARTH. I understand that a man has to make a living and pay his bills and I don't hold Barry any ill-will for fighting against the Psychlos. But his next project sounds interesting already.

Pepper's just been added to Martin Scorsese's THE AVIATOR, the biopic about Howard Hughes. Leonardo DiCaprio will play the eccentric millionaire who commissioned The Spruce Goose opposite Pepper's role as engineer Glenn Odekirk.

As well, Barry is talking with his agents about starring in RIPLEY UNDER GROUND, based on Patricia Highsmith's novel. Roger Spottiswoode is the director on that project which probably won't use the Highsmith title. [Source: The Hollywood Reporter.]

June 9, 2003... Page created. Character names, cast listing, premise, release date and comments section added. Filming is scheduled to commence this summer.

June 17, 2003... Alec Baldwin and Danny Huston are close to joining the cast of Martin Scorsese's THE AVIATOR, states The Hollywood Reporter. Baldwin would play Juan Tripp (love that name), the head of Pan American Airlines during the '40s while Huston would be TWA president Jack Frye. Filming is supposed to start next month on the Howard Hughes biopic. Leonardo DiCaprio, survivor of THE BEACH but not of TITANIC, will play the eccentric millionaire/industrialist. [Source: THR.]

June 4, 2004...
The Moviefone website has your exclusive first look at the trailer for Martin Scorsese's THE AVIATOR. Set during the 1920s and 30s, Leonardo DiCaprio stars in the film as millionaire Howard Hughes, the legendary industrialist who dreamed of conquering the skies by building bigger and faster flying craft. Starring in the film are Cate Blanchett as Katherine Hepburn, John C. Reilly as Noah Dietrich, Alec Baldwin Juan Trippe, Jude Law as Errol Flynn, Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardner and Gewn Stefani as Jean Harlow.

The trailer THE AVIATOR can be found here. The movie will be released this coming December. [Moviefone.]