It’s not often that a script that was first purchased in 1998 keeps a studio interested enough, that even after a revolving door of actors and director have come and gone from the film, they’re still keen to get it made. However that’s what’s happened with This Means War.
The film is the tale of best friends who are also spies and fall in love with the same woman. The men’s bond disintegrates, and their ensuing battle escalates, apparently leaving half of Manhattan destroyed in its wake.
While it’s been through endless hands over the years, it was given new impetus late last year when McG signed on to direct, and at the time it looked like the casting issues were sorted too, with Reece Witherspoon as the women to be battled over and Bradley Cooper as one of the agents. However Cooper later dropped out, and now Fox and McG are busy trying to fill the hole so they can start shooting this summer.
According to The Wrap, while there were reports the studio was putting out feelers to everyone from Seth Rogen and Chris Pine to Robert Downey Jr. and Matt Damon to play one of the male leads, with the other already offered to James Franco, that’s not quite true. Franco has already passed on the film, and the only actors currently been seriously considered are Pine and Rogen. Neither star is yet signed up, and with the film’s track record they may too decline, but the studio seems to have high hopes they can sign them up.
Let’s hope This Mean War does eventually made, just so we can try and figure out why it’s taken 12 years to get to the screen, and what it is that’s made so many actors so nervous of it.