Ewan McGregor (center, with broom) earns his paycheck in this scene from Tim Burton's BIG FISH.
© Sony Pictures
Big Fish
By: Coming AttractionsDate: Wednesday, October 08, 2003
Genre:
Comedy/Drama.
Studio:
Columbia Pictures/DreamWorks SKG.
Production Company:
Unknown.
Project Phase:
Post-production.
Who's In It:
Ewan McGregor; Albert Finney; Billy Crudup; Jessica Lange; Danny DeVito; Helena Bonham Carter; Steve Buscemi; Robert Guillaume; Alison Lohman.
Who's Making It:
Tim Burton (Director); John August (Screenplay); Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks, Richard D. Zanuck (Producers); based on the novel Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions written by Daniel Wallace.
Premise:
As a son listens to the tall tales spun by his dying father, he begins to understand both his father's successes and failures in life.
Release Date:
December 18, 2003 (limited); January 23, 2004 (wide).
Comments:
None.
Scoop Feedback:
August 10, 2000... This project, announced today in the trades, will begin filming sometime in the summer of 2001. Spielberg will be moving on to direct Big Fish after completing his promise to direct Tom Cruise in the sci-fi thriller Minority Report, which will come after the director wraps his chores
on A.I. this summer/fall. [Reported in The Hollywood Reporter, Variety; 'JayZ' helped out, too.]
May 2, 2002... Tim Burton has replaced Steven Spielberg as the director for Big Fish. Burton hopes to begin filming the movie sometime this fall. [Source: The Hollywood Reporter.]
August 1, 2002... Ewan McGregor and Albert Finney have completed deals to star in Tim Burton's Big Fish film. Finney will play the dying father who spins tall tales while McGregor will play the more youthful and fanciful version of Finney in the stories he tells his son. Filming is slated to start next January in Alabama.
[Source: The Hollywood Reporter; scooped by 'Spit-It'.]
October 21, 2002... Billy Crudup (Almost Famous) will star in Tim Burton's Big Fish. Crudup will play the son to Albert Finney's character. Filming begins in January in Alabama. [Source: The Hollywood Reporter.]
January 30, 2003... CA was sent an email from one of the crewmembers working on Tim Burton's Big Fish movie, telling us what it's been like working on the sets at Jackson Lake in Millbrook, AL. "There is no less than eight houses, eight commercial type buildings, and a nice church at the end of the street," writes our crewmember. "The trees in the water have been dead for quite some time with moss abundant on the entire island, making it look as I would expect for one of Mr. Burton's movies. I have had a great time working on this film and have learned a great deal in a short period of time. The company I worked for treated me professionally and honorably. Filming has already occured in Wetumpka, AL. and also in Montgomery in the warehouse. I would like to thank everyone for the experience and opportunity to see this side of the business. I hope everyone goes to see what I think will be an excellent movie."
[Name withheld to protect their identity.]
February 27, 2003... "Parades are staples of small town life, but the one that took place Tuesday in Wetumpka was not only star-studded, it was literally a giant event. The cast and Crew of Big Fish shut down Court Street and lined it with extras, including a marching band and a fleet of Shriners driving their trademark go-carts.
"Men, women and children dressed in early 1960s attire clapped, cheered and waved as Ewan McGregor, portraying a young Edward Bloom, and Matthew McGrory, playing the giant Karl, marched down the street. McGregor and McGrory are just two of the stars in the Tim Burton film that began shooting in central Alabama in mid-January and will continue through the end of April. Other stars include Albert Finney, Jessica Lange, Danny DeVito, Billy Crudup, Helena Bonham Carter, Steve Buscemi, Robert Guillaume and Alison Lohman.
"Still, McGrory may be the biggest star. He stands 7 feet 6 inches tall, and Tuesday he was placed on a platform and rolled down a track before the crowd, with McGregor ambling down the street next to him. In the finished film, McGrory will appear to be between 10 and 12 feet tall. In Tuesday's scene, McGregor wore a large gold key around his neck, the key to the fictional city of Ashland, which in the film has been given to him by the town's mayor, played by Charles
McLawhorn.
"Because the decision to film in Wetumpka on Tuesday came at the last-minute, the production crew had to scramble a bit to get enough extras together. Several production assistants were given impromptu haircuts and shaves so they could pull double-duty throughout the day - managing the crowd one minute, and trying to blend in with it the next.
"I've spent as much time as possible watching the filming, but again the local papers photos are so much better than mine. I will drop you an e-mail with some great shots from the day."
[Thanks to Ronnie for sending in the on-set report!]
August 28, 2003... Tim Burton's upcoming family drama BIG FISH will swim a little while longer before being served to audiences. Originally scheduled for release on November 26, the film will now open in a limited engagement starting on December 18. Over the course of the next few weeks the film will expand on screens, eventually going into wide release on 2,500+ theaters on January 23. [The Hollywood Reporter.]
September 6, 2003... Sony Pictures has supplied us with the teaser poster for Tim Burton's upcoming comedy/drama BIG FISH. Slated for limited release on December 18 and then expanding to a wide release on January 23, 2004, the film is about a young man (Billy Crudup) who comes to better understand his father (Albert Finney) as he listens to his Dad's tall tales from his youth. Ewan McGregor, Danny DeVito, Jessica Lange and Helena Bonham Carter also star in the film. [Sony Pictures.]
October 8, 2003... Columbia Pictures has placed the trailer for Tim Burton's upcoming new film BIG FISH on their website. The film, which is scheduled to open in limited release on December 10, about a troubled relationship between a young man and his father, a teller of tall tales.
BIG FISH trailer - Windows Media high bandwidth
BIG FISH trailer - Windows Media low bandwidth
BIG FISH trailer - Real Player Media high bandwidth
BIG FISH trailer - Windows Media low bandwidth
[Sony Pictures.]
