The Prestige

[Brian in Mesa]

Bale & Jackman to Battle in The Prestige
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
September 30, 2005

Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman are in talks to star in Touchstone Pictures' The Prestige, which will serve as Batman Begins helmer Christopher Nolan's next directorial outing, says The Hollywood Reporter.

Bale and Jackman will play rival magicians in turn-of-the-century London who battle each other for trade secrets. The rivalry is so intense that it turns them into murderers. The title refers to the residue left after a magician's successful trick.

The script is based on Christopher Priest's 1996 novel of the same name and was adapted by Nolan's brother, Jonathan. He wrote the short story on which Christopher's Nolan's breakout movie, Memento, was based on.

The movie will shoot in January with a budget around the $40 million range. Touchstone will distribute domestically, while Warner Bros. Pictures will distribute internationally.

"Prestige" reteams Nolan with Batman Begins star Bale, who is currently shooting Rescue Dawn in Thailand for Werner Herzog. Jackman is shooting X-Men 3 and next appears in Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain.

 

[Bada0Bing]

Here's an update:

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809267303/details

In 1878 two young stage magicians clash in a darkened saloon during the course of a fraudulent séance. From this moment on, their lives become webs of deceit and exposure, secrets and revelations, as they feud to outwit and destroy one another. Their rivalry takes them both to the peak of their careers, but with terrible consequences.

Production Status: Awaiting Release

Genres: Drama and Thriller

Release Date: October 27th, 2006 (limited)

MPAA Rating: Not Rated

Production Co.: Newmarket Films

Studios: Touchstone Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.

Filming Locations: Los Angeles, California USA

Produced in: United States

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Seen a few previews for it, looks pretty good.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Saw this wonderful move today.

Great story, great acting, twists and turns and magic...which is always fun...

Roper said it best in his review last week, without giving much away. There are things that just seem like "filler" in a normal movie, but aren't that here.

Like Alfred says at the beginning..."Are you watching closely?"

Watch closely...

Great flick!

 

[Ryanwb]

I thought the ending was a major let down

 

[Mike Olbinski]

I thought the ending was a major let down

Really? How so?

I thought it was great...spooky...

 

[Shane]

Definitely agree with you Mike. This movie was pretty darn good. Good acting all the way around. I liked the ending.

 

[Pariah]

The ending in the book was a let down. If they stayed true to that, I'll be disappointed.

 

[Louis]

Definitely agree with you Mike. This movie was pretty darn good. Good acting all the way around. I liked the ending.

Both this movie and the Illusionist were two of the best films I've seen that were released last year.

Bale/Jackman are two of the best male actors out there today and this movie was acted well and the I really liked the storyline and ending.

Though the ending was obvious to me from the very beginning the journey to the finale was very good.

 

[UncleChris]

Loved the movie, but thought the wrong guy won at the end. Silly, I know, but it just would have seemed better that way to me.

 

[arthurracoon]

Saw it today

awesome movie.

one of the better movies i have seen in a while

 

[Bada0Bing]

I just watched it. I loved the setting and mood of the film. The acting was great too, all the characters. Definitely worth watching again.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Loved the movie, but thought the wrong guy won at the end. Silly, I know, but it just would have seemed better that way to me.

No way. The guy who won was the guy who should have won.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Watched this over the weekend on Bluray. Not sure if it needed to be an HD release, but the movie was good enough to warrant the purchase. Great flick, and I stand by Scarlett's average (not TERRIBLE) acting job.

 

[dodie53]

nice movie..

i enjoyed watching it.

 

[JS22]

FANTASTIC film. Easily one of my recent favorites. Too bad it went pretty much unnoticed at the box office.

 

[Cheesebeef]

FANTASTIC film. Easily one of my recent favorites. Too bad it went pretty much unnoticed at the box office.

it didn't go too unnoticed. A period piece without top of the heap A list actors bringing in 53 million on a 40 million dollar budget is a pretty good showing.

 

[schutd]

Watched this over the weekend on Bluray. Not sure if it needed to be an HD release, but the movie was good enough to warrant the purchase. Great flick, and I stand by Scarlett's average (not TERRIBLE) acting job.

:bait: :/bait:

Such a great film, why would anyone stand by for average when the other actors were so obviously superior?

In the Magic movies of 06 title fight, The Prestige wins HANDS dowmn. Great film.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

:bait: :/bait:

Such a great film, why would anyone stand by for average when the other actors were so obviously superior?

In the Magic movies of 06 title fight, The Prestige wins HANDS dowmn. Great film.

Simple....Because every great film does not need Oscar-worthy performances from every actor/actress to be a great film.

 

[schutd]

Well obviously I agree. No one won an oscar for that film. But when casting, I think you should find actors and actresses that compliment one another, not show off glaring weaknesses. Jackman and Bale were so hands down better than her, it made an otherwise passable performance look weak IMHO.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Well obviously I agree. No one won an oscar for that film. But when casting, I think you should find actors and actresses that compliment one another, not show off glaring weaknesses. Jackman and Bale were so hands down better than her, it made an otherwise passable performance look weak IMHO.

Without a re-write of the script, those two were going to outshine Scarlett.

 

[schutd]

Oh suuuuure, blame the script!

 

[Gadd's Wife]

Finally got my hands back on our copy... Had loaned it to friends who've had it for a couple months. I have to agree... The Prestige and The Illusionist are two of the best this year, but my fav has to be Prestige... Can't wait to watch it again.

 

[Covert Rain]

Oh suuuuure, blame the script!

Scarlett is not an Oscar caliber actress IMO. She is a good complimentary actress that does a decent job if given good material. However, she is not the type of actress that can take mediocre material and bring it to the next level. I thought she was an odd casting choice in what I considered a very good cast. She was the weak link for me as well.

 

[schutd]

Aw crap, now youve gone and set off DCR's disagreement radar.