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In the indie pre-sale world where Nu Image/Millennium Films operates, it’s often hard to discern fact from fiction. So when reliable sources tell Mike Fleming that co-CEO Danny Dimbort hasn’t been in the office since December 10 and plans to exit, should it be surprising that co-founding partner Avi Lerner says it’s hogwash? Dimbort issued a no comment on exit talk that came out of disagreements with Lerner. Avi made it sound like one of their typical quarrels. “Yes, we argue and have different opinions on which movies to make,” Lerner said. “He wants to do bigger movies and I want them smaller in a market that is getting worse and worse. But that doesn't mean he's leaving. I love Danny and without him, I wouldn’t exist. Nu Image/Millennium wouldn’t exist.”
Dimbort's departure would come as Millennium gets close to a production start on its biggest bet yet. That’s Conan, the rebirth of the Robert E. Howard-created barbarian famously played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Director Marcus Nispel is on track to start production March 15 in Bulgaria — if they can find the right barbarian. Last weekend, it seemed like things came down to two buff finalists: Kellan Lutz (Emmett Cullen in the Twilight Saga sequels New Moon and Eclipse), and Jason Momoa (Ronon Dex in the TV series Stargate: Atlantis). Suddenly, Millennium and partner Lionsgate decided today to look at another unnamed but better established actor before deciding.
On the executive front, Dimbort would be tough to replace. While Lerner and his shaggy white head of hair is the front man, it's Dimbort’s presale skills that get the films funded. And while the Millennium mantle isn’t cluttered with Oscars, geez, do those guys makes a lot of pictures! They've averaged 15 or more in recent years, titles ranging from Rambo to Righteous Kill, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans and The Expendables, the action film that Sly Stallone just directed and starred in with a testosterone-heavy cast of Jet Li, Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke, Dolph Lundgren and Eric Roberts.
Lerner insists Dimbort “is categorically not departing, and whoever is telling you that is just being mean. We’ve been partners for 30 years, he’s my best friend, and I love him to death. You want a problem? It’s that the American government doesn’t give a shit about the piracy of our product that’s taking place around the world,” Lerner told Fleming. “The stuff about Danny is bullshit.”
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Smells like jared padelecki in a muscle suit
i wish jared padalecki were conan, but i heard he didnt audition because of supernatural.
This is really disappointing! This new guys is going to be lame! Why couldn’t they get someone close to arnolds size!
Roland Kickhinger, is the perfect to this caracter
God I hope this story results in some Nu Image anecdotes emerging.
Avi Lerner = Great man
So they will only credit twelve producers rather than the usual thirteen or so. Its too bad Avi hasn’t disappeared – one less greedy movie maker with no taste or artistic values.
oofah – that’s some casting
Conan was a thief in the books, not the chemically altered, narcissistic Reaganoid zombie of the films, so he can be scrawny if tall. The snake casting of this film however is critical.
Yeah gee, imagine how well a scrawny Conan would go over. Doesn’t matter what was in the books, people automatically think Conan = Schwarzenegger.
It’s not like the role requires rocket science. If Lutz ends up getting cast he could actually pull girls into see it thanks to his role in Twilight.
“Conan was a thief in the books, not the chemically altered, narcissistic Reaganoid zombie of the films, so he can be scrawny if tall.”
Conan was a thief not an underwear model like these two actors. And if you believe your BS that Conan can be ’scrawny’ I suggest you read some more Conan stories. http://www.conan.com/invboard/index.php?showtopic=6135
more to the point, if they make Conan some twink with abs of steel, the public will immediately start calling him Conan the Metrosexual and you will lose nearly all of your audience right there…could be the biggest gay movie since Brokeback Mountain, though
what about randall emmett the least liked hollywood exec, whats his comment? He told me rattner was going to direct conan….
They should go for DOLPH LUNDGREN as an older CONAN rather than these baby faces!!!
Oiy, This is even a low blow for you guys. (Shaking my head) Oh, oh, oh, I have something else to gossip about, did you see the cow jump over the moon last night.. ? I won’t if the moon is still made of Swiss cheese, can you find out Mike Flemming?
I wonder if the moon is made of Swiss cheese.
How about Conan O’Brien as Conan? Could be a great solution for everyone involved.
The bigger story here Nikki is how Avi forced long time vendors into accepting 50% on the dollar owed to them by his still failing Distribution Company First Look. In some cases 6 figures each. And it’s not the first time he’s short paid his debts.
way to go sheep, slam one of the most prolific independent producers in town. they produce more films each year than Universal, MGM, Lions Gate, Weinstein’s and Disney and do so based on two guys, avi and danny. granted their films aren’t great, but they’re putting people to work and very important to the independent film community. oh but wait, they don’t have a huge development staff (i.e. most of the idiots who read this) and they believe in commerce over art..
WOW.. Someone’s going to get fired!!
my god, it is getting worse and worse. they rely on niche markets to float their movies so why are they alienating conan and ROBERT E HOWARD’s fan base with this drivel. first the horrendous script that completely misses the point of the character, now this abercrombie and fitch shopping bag conan. could they be any more clueless on how to make money with this character. they need to find the next young charles bronson. think daniel craig and 007, or butler even. and like 007 there should be conan movies for years to come, just adapt all the original stories, which have given the character longevity in the first place. nobody wants to see their interpretation. it’s like someone eating pizza at the original pizzeria in nyc and then suggesting Dominoes. LotR set the bench, and these guys aren’t even able to pull up a stool. fortunately it seems like there is hope in a cable production in the flavor of HBO’s Rome that can treat the character right and stay honest to the original vision.
I have watched Dolph many times and he isn’t up for such roles. He is not natural and whenyou watch him you can really see that it is so unreal and he is struggling.For big role and for a big movie like Conan., a new face with the piercing and rugged look is needed.The toughness must be there and the presence of a charimatic man. Put all this together and you got the man- Shane Woods.The diamond is there use him and all will be well. Peace N Love and god bless.
I know for a fact that Mike O’hearn was called back to meet with Marcus for Conan and had an hour meeting with him. The news I heard is that Marcus felt he read perfectly and had physical capabilities that no other actor offered.
My vote for Conan……………Vern (Mini Me).
Kellan Lutz is a talentless nothing. He should be Conan cause all he does is take off his shirt to stay relevant.
I agree. Kellan Lutz really can’t do anything cept get papped w/ his shirt off. Why he even gets any attention is beyond me. I thought talent was needed for that.
Hey, Who Asked You Anyway, I have no undying love for Avi Lerner’s taste either but at least he’s someone who backs what he says. And he’s one of the few people in our business that, you know, actually makes movies instead of f**king talks about making movies. He’s not the most popular, avuncular sort but he’s not the personification of evil either. He employs people and works with those he likes — again and again.
Avi is a great guy. I’ve known him for 15 years and done business with him over the years. Yes he’s a sales agent, a suspect class, but he’s one of the more upfront and honest ones around. He’s made a great business for years and years, and has employed many people and made piles of films (some you’d rather not see, but he gets them made).
I wish that Avi had a different attitude about this movie. There is a real market for Robert E. Howard’s Conan. As it stands, this movie paints Conan as a sadistic mindless killer, a Hyborian Jason type. It doesn’t matter who gets the role of Conan in this movie because it is nothing more than just another film in the pile of movies “you’d rather not see”.
Danny and Avi are true gems, great partners to have. They are loyal people to the end… This business is tough enough… They make working in this business a pleasure. This quote best describes how I fee about Nuimage as a whole. ““It all comes down to serving the ones who are fighting alongside you, watching your back, putting a weapon in your hand when you need it most.””.”
Kellan Lutz would be a non event for me the whole Twilight thing is getting me down bad,but Jason Momoa was one of the best things about SG:Atlantis i really could see him as Conan(or possibly Kull)
Whatever happened to Triple H? I had heard a while ago that he was up for the lead in the new Conan film?
Mamoa should do Conan…he is very rugged looking and would do well in this role.
Albeit the producers will most likely go for a more well known actor…but well known actors usually start out in roles such as this to get themselves established.
And Mamoa does well in just about any role.
Like the American government can control the internet? Hahahahaha. Lerner needs to learn a thing about the movie business and start investing in more high concept original ideas and stories no more of these bullshit sequels and getting rid of franchises right in the middle of their archs and all this souless money bullshit because their too afraid to risk ORIGINALITY at the box office. casting mickey rourke in a movie might sound like a good idea in an ironic artsy way but these studio people are insane when they put half of these movies together. avatar is making more money than goldman sachs executives. hollywood needs to wake up. i think this town once had a dream of telling great stories. non of them involved remaking conan the barbarian.
Not only do they lack ORIGINALITY but they also lack taste, quality and have NEVER even been nominated for an academy award for the hundreds of pictures they’ve produced. It’s a glorified Israeli sweatshop, shitting out picture after picture. I can’t say there has been one movie that is worth my $$ at the video store because they NEVER get theatrically released. Oh wait, UNDISPUTED II and Journey to the End of the Night were pretty decent.
Jared Padalecki would be perfect.
The only person that should be considered to play Conan in a new movie should be the WWE’s Triple H.Nobody would do it as good as The Game Triple H “BITCHES!”
On the subject of casting who should be Conan; if the intent is to portray the character as originally described by the author, even Schwarzenegger is wrong.
If they were to adhere to the original REH version, you Arnold fans are going to be sorely disappointed.
And… NO WRESTLERS!