‘Unstoppable’ Stopped

The Denzel Washington/Tony Scott train might be slowing down in more ways than one.   What would have been the fifth collaboration between the actor and the director, ‘Unstoppable,’ is looking like its production might be halted.   Budget issues and diminishing returns from the Washington/Scott alliance has caused 20th Century Fox to reconsider the project, and it could be put on hold altogether before too long.

Washington and Scott’s first film together, ‘Crimson Tide,’ released in Summer of 1995, made $91.3 million domestic.   Each film they have done together since has made less and less.   2004’s ‘Man on Fire’ topped out at $77.9 million domestic.   2006’s ‘Deja Vu’ made just over $64 million.   Their latest film, ‘The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3,’ which also boasts a $100 million pricetag, is looking like it will hold up at just under $60 million.

‘Unstoppable’ is another train-based project for the duo.   It centers on a runaway train carrying a cargo of toxic chemicals.   Washington would play a veteran engineer who, along with a young conductor, attempts to stop the train.  Chris Pine is on board to play the conductor.

The current climate of studios wanting to keep tight reigns on their budgets is becoming an ever-concerning issue for filmmakers.  This is particularly the case when your lead actor is Washington, someone who generally banks $20 million per picture, and your director is Tony Scott, someone not exactly known for his small films.

And, while Fox slowing production up on ‘Unstoppable’ isn’t as last minute as what was seen last week with Sony and Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Moneyball,’ it still puts Washington and Scott in a precarious position.  The two were planning on production to begin sometime this coming Fall, and, now, that start date looks to be completely up in the air.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter