Shia Labeouf is done with Y:The Last Man
Tuesday, June 9th, 2009
After years of pre-production slog, the film adaptation of Brian K. Vaughn’s comic book series seems to have lost its star.Shia Labeouf, the actor long-expected to star as Yorrick Brown- the last man on Earth- in DJ Caruso’s post-apoalyptic action thriller, recently told Wizard Magazine that he’s no longer interested in the film.
“You take Sam and you put a monkey on his shoulder,” said LaBeouf . “I don’t know if it’s that big a differential. It seems like he’s the ordinary guy in an extraordinary situation again.” Much like the character of Sam in the Transformers films. He added, “I’m not willing to make that movie currently, and may be too old to play the role by the time it does come around.”
What do you guys think? Does Labeouf- after two Transformers, Eagle Eye and Disturbia- have reason to not want to be the “young guy trying to stay alive in crazy situation” anymore? Will this hurt the movie’s chances of getting made? Who should take over for Shia as Yorrick Brown
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Is it just me or do his reasons not make any sense. Yorik is just transformers kid with a monkey? What!
Shia doesn’t want to play everymen anymore? Really!
Does this mean he won’t be doing Trannies 3?
Yorick is exactly the type of role Shia should be looking for. He’s funny and charming and memorable. Comparing him to transformers kid is kind of an arogant fuck you to BKV.
I wonder if he didn’t have some falling out with DJ Caruso.
Personally, this news makes me happy. As much as I like Shia, I never thought he was right for the part in the first place. If he thinks of Yorrick as not much more than the Transformers’ hero with a monkey, then he’s definitely wrong for this, since he has no real grasp of just who Yorrick really is.
I used to think Chris Evans would be perfect for this, but since the character is supposed to be in his early twenties, then I guess both he and Shia are not eligible anymore. I can’t really think of anyone at that age who has the right look and feel for the character at this point. I think it would have to be an unknown.
Dj Caruso and some of the other names involved on the production side are pretty big right now, so I’ve no doubt this will eventually get done. It doesn’t matter so much if a big star is attached or not. The material itself carries its own weight and the folks putting it together can make it happen, so we’ll see how things go from here.
If he was going to play Yorik like he played Sam then this may not have been bad. I have a very love/hate feelings about Labeouf, but he seemed like a good Yorik……wonder who they will get to replace him.
Anton. Yelchin.
*snort* He’s totes this summer’s Shia Labeouf too. Kid is in EVERY freaking franchise (Star Trek, Terminator) I hold dear and is even in a book adaptation that I am looking forward to (Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac)
And just like with Shia I have a completely inappropriate crush on him. I feel so lecherous…
I’m crushing on Yelchin as well, I’ll admit it
@ since the character is supposed to be in his early twenties, then I guess both he and Shia are not eligible anymore.
He’s 23. In Retard-o-bots he’s playing a character that has just left for college. Not that I think he’s the best possible casting for Yorick but not because he’s too old.
I’ don’t know about the prospects for making a good Y movie. The story is serial in nature. Im not sure what a stand alone film would look like.
I’m getting the impression you didn’t like Transformers. I’m also getting the impression that you are taking it’s success as a personal insult to your well being. Take a deep breath and continue with life.
@ I’m also getting the impression that you are taking it’s success as a personal insult to your well being.
I admit you’re right. Not it’s success per se. But there’s something about the fan base for this movie that gets me riled up. I despise them on a personal level. What is wrong with these people that makes them claim to like this interminable chore of a movie?
David Gordon Green once called Kevin Smith “the special olymics of filmmaking” but it’s Bay who deserves that label. He is incompetent in terms of story development, directing actors, editing, pacing and pretty much everything that qualifies as the art of cinema.
He slides by on his prowess at staging actions scenes but his skills are totally oversold. To date he has directed one (1) good action scene, it’s the car chase in bad boys two (I might begrudgingly throw in the ’sploshins in Pearl Harbor. But anyone who likes that movie is a brain ambutee).
Good action directors understand how to establish pacing, and that action scenes are still narrative story telling. Their set pieces build, they have a begining middle and end, they crescendo. They establish geography. Bay wouldn’t know how to do any of that to save his life. His skills are narrower than that. He’s good at concieving of and executing cool shots that look good in trailers. He’s still a commercial director at heart and his films work better as trailers than as movies.
Look at what JJ Abrams did with the opening to Star Trek. It’s not just people running around waving their arms wildly and yelling hysterically. He builds excitement and then turns it into suspense and then manages to tug at our heart strings. And it all works together. In that scene Abrams shows more skill as an action director than Bay ever has in his entire career.
He lacks the imagination to be a great action director. He can’t build set pieces like a real director. He just shakes the camera, lights it with a strobe light and uses quick cuts edited together randomly. Go rewatch The Rock, it’s not any better than any of PWS Anderson’s films. But you can always count on his idiotic fan base of retard frat boys to furrow their brows unintelligently and clap like trained seals “Megan Fox is hawt! What did you expect it’s an action film!”
If I hear one more of these cretins lecture me about how “It’s not supposed to be shakespear it’s an action film” I’m going to punch fanboys in their collective crotch.
If The Beef really can’t tell the difference between Yorick and Transformers kid than he’s broken his ability to tell shit from gold. And seriously, I think Brian K. Vaughn should be insulted.
In conclussion, I recommend Outlaw Vern’s three part series on Michael Bay and Transformers for the definitive critique of Michael and Transformers. If you or someone you know like Tranformers then this is a good place to start.
In part one Vern attempts to do his part for peace in Israel by watching Bad Boys II. And even includes a bonus review of Transformers The Movie (animated, Orson Wells’ last role)
http://outlawvern.com/2006/08/13/verns-peace-initiative/
In part two Vern watches Transformers (Michael Bay) and takes issue with the consensus popularity.
http://outlawvern.com/2007/07/03/transformers/
And in part three he takes a look forward to the summer 09 blockbuster roster.
http://outlawvern.com/2009/05/07/verns-2009-summer-movie-explodetacular/
I have a comment awaiting moderation. Probably because there are links in it.
I’m just gonna repost my comment without the links. And if the original ends up getting fished out of moderation than please just delete this one.
@ I’m also getting the impression that you are taking it’s success as a personal insult to your well being.
I admit you’re right. Not it’s success per se. But there’s something about the fan base for this movie that gets me riled up. I despise them on a personal level. What is wrong with these people that makes them claim to like this interminable chore of a movie?
David Gordon Green once called Kevin Smith “the special olymics of filmmaking” but it’s Bay who deserves that label. He is incompetent in terms of story development, directing actors, editing, pacing and pretty much everything that qualifies as the art of cinema.
He slides by on his prowess at staging actions scenes but his skills are totally oversold. To date he has directed one (1) good action scene, it’s the car chase in bad boys two (I might begrudgingly throw in the ’sploshins in Pearl Harbor. But anyone who likes that movie is a brain ambutee).
Good action directors understand how to establish pacing, and that action scenes are still narrative story telling. Their set pieces build, they have a begining middle and end, they crescendo. They establish geography. Bay wouldn’t know how to do any of that to save his life. His skills are narrower than that. He’s good at concieving of and executing cool shots that look good in trailers. He’s still a commercial director at heart and his films work better as trailers than as movies.
Look at what JJ Abrams did with the opening to Star Trek. It’s not just people running around waving their arms wildly and yelling hysterically. He builds excitement and then turns it into suspense and then manages to tug at our heart strings. And it all works together. In that scene Abrams shows more skill as an action director than Bay ever has in his entire career.
He lacks the imagination to be a great action director. He can’t build set pieces like a real director. He just shakes the camera, lights it with a strobe light and uses quick cuts edited together randomly. Go rewatch The Rock, it’s not any better than any of PWS Anderson’s films. But you can always count on his idiotic fan base of retard frat boys to furrow their brows unintelligently and clap like trained seals “Megan Fox is hawt! What did you expect it’s an action film!”
If I hear one more of these cretins lecture me about how “It’s not supposed to be shakespear it’s an action film” I’m going to punch fanboys in their collective crotch.
If The Beef really can’t tell the difference between Yorick and Transformers kid than he’s broken his ability to tell shit from gold. And seriously, I think Brian K. Vaughn should be insulted.
I myself am in no way a Michael Bay fanboy, but I can take or leave Transformers and most of his work. While it does not infuriate me (these kinds of movies have their place), I do feel that he and others like him (Tony Scott, Brett Ratner, and pretty much everyone from Jerry Bruckheimer’s camp of directors) are hurting the action genre more than helping. Although, I think probably The Island has so far been the only Bay picture with something to say. It wasn’t you know, a lot but it was something, at least until the third act dropped the bottom out.
And as far as a female director for Y: The Last Man is concerned, the only substantial name that comes to mind is Kathryn Bigelow. With films in her resume such as Near Dark, Strange Days and now The Hurt Locker, I think he more than has what it takes to tell that story well.
Honestly, if they wanted to cast slightly older (but under 30) I wouldn’t mind and I could buy it. Unless it’s freaking ridiculous I have never been one bothered by people not looking EXACTLY the age they’re playing.
I think the intention has been to make a trilogy, but that was mentioned ages ago, so who knows?
yeah, I’m not surprised to hear trilogy. With parts 2 and 3 contigent on the first one being successful.
It just doesn’t seem like a good way to tell a story to me.
Does anyone else think it’s obvious the film should have a female director? How ’bout Christine Harwick. What’s the last film Jane Campion did? There’s a handful of good women directors but none of them are prolific. Kimberly Pierce had a great breakout with boys don’t cry in 99 and then didn’t follow it up til last year. All she did in the interim is episodes of The L Word.
Oh didn’t see you mentioned her. She’s been doing shorts lately (which, she really does excell at) but she’s got that cool one about Keats coming out this fall Bright Star.
Again, I can bitterly rant about why there aren’t many to name, but no one needs to hear it…
Kimberly Peirce would be good. Hardwicke lost a little respect from me after Twilight
I can’t really think of a woman director who has an established consistent record.
Jane Campion. But I don’t know if its really her kind of project…
Oh whatever. They’re not gonna give it to a chick anyway.
Sorry, just one of those bitter kind of days.
I even like In The Cut. But she’s got like 3 films over the past 15 years.
I think she could do a good job though. Her films are pretty diverse, I don’t think she has a “kind of project”.
And as for it not being possible, well I think if they’ll give Punisher to a woman they’ll give Y The Last Man.
Actually, thinking about what Y the Last Man is REALLY about (and, IMHO, it’s not about the last man) it might be her kind of thing. Thinking about what unites her movies the main two things I can think of are: male/female power structures and female sexuality in probably the most realistic and true manners I have ever seen on film.
Oh, BTW if you can find her early short films (collected as “Passionless Moments”) they are totally worth watching. They are just these really neat short long shots with a narrator. GREAT slice of life, awkward, real, quirky-but-not-in-a-hip-way things.
Three movies? In my count since Piano (her real breakout) she’s done four more movies over 15 years, all of which I think are perfect and no different than a lot of other more artsy directors. Hell, she’s already got more directing credits than Kubrik.
I realize this is an old thread, so I don’t know if anyone will read this. Personally, I would not mind a female director, but I don’t see the gender as being important/ Unless there’s something I don’t know, Vaughan is male and he did just fine writing the thing. For a story that seems to revolve around gender identity, it seemed to never actually favor one or the other. To be more clear, it showed to me the different but equal qualities of male and female and never delved into an actual opinion on which race was “superior.” That said, it seems fitting that the director should be the one that best understands BKV’s vision, regardless of gender.
Obviously, that slash was meant to be a period. My apologies.
I totally agree with this, and I feel you win this “discussion”.