Stanley Kubrick's 1956 unproduced Civil War action-drama The Downslope is finally
being done…into a trilogy with Finding Neverland, Monsters Ball, and World War
Z director Marc Forster attached to produce the entire series of films, and
direct the first entry.
The Downslope is a sweeping, historical action-drama that focuses on a
bitter, strategic series of Civil War battles in the Shenandoah Valley between
Union General George Armstrong Custer and Confederate Colonel John Singleton
Mosby, known as the Gray Ghost for his stealth and elusiveness. His
cavalrymen, known as Mosby’s Rangers, continually outsmarted the much
larger enemy forces in a sequence of raids, which enraged Custer and eventually
created a fierce cycle of revenge between the two men.
STANLEY KUBRICK’S ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY ‘THE DOWNSLOPE’
BEING DEVELOPED AS A TRILOGY OF FEATURE FILMS
The Sweeping, Period Action-Drama Based on Historical
Events Is Being Developed For Marc Forster To Direct
Events Is Being Developed For Marc Forster To Direct
LOS ANGELES, CA, JUNE 22, 2015 – An original screenplay written in
1956 by the late filmmaker Stanley Kubrick is being developed as a feature
trilogy with Marc Forster (“Finding Neverland,” “Monsters Ball,” “World War Z”)
attached to direct and produce the first in the series. He will also produce
the subsequent features.
Producers Lauren Selig (“Lone Survivor,” “Black Mass,” upcoming “Everest),
Barry Levine (“Hercules,” “Oblivion”) and Reneé Wolfe (upcoming “All I See Is
You”) are developing the material with Forster. Selig initiated the project
with producers/rights holders Phil Hobbs (“Full Metal Jacket”) and Steve
Lanning, who are also serving as producers on the project. The project has the
full support and encouragement of the Kubrick family.
THE DOWNSLOPE is a sweeping, historical action-drama Kubrick wrote
following the release of his allegorical war film “Fear and Desire,” and prior
to directing his seminal WW I period piece, “Paths of Glory,” and like both,
THE DOWNSLOPE is a cautionary, anti-war tale.
THE DOWNSLOPE focuses on a bitter, strategic series of Civil War battles in
the Shenandoah Valley between Union General George Armstrong Custer and
Confederate Colonel John Singleton Mosby, known as the Gray Ghost for
his stealth and elusiveness. His cavalrymen, known as Mosby’s Rangers,
continually outsmarted the much larger enemy forces in a sequence of raids,
which enraged Custer and eventually created a fierce cycle of revenge between
the two men.
Originally developed with renowned Civil War historian Shelby Foote,
Kubrick’s story is based on historical events. Deeply passionate about the time
period, Kubrick spent years studying, developing and writing the story, and
creating maps and notes as to how he planned to shoot the movie.
States Lauren Selig: “We’ve been given the unique privilege to produce a
Stanley Kubrick script no one has had the opportunity to make. The first
installment of the planned trilogy, written by Kubrick, is an engrossing story
illustrating a crucial moment in history toward the end of the American Civil
War.”
The succeeding stories will expand upon Kubrick’s original story and
journey west, as post-war Americans settled the new frontier, delivering on the
country’s unbending ambitions and dreams of Manifest Destiny.
Hobbs and Lanning stated: “A Stanley Kubrick script deserves a singular
director, especially one so gifted working with talented actors. We are
thrilled to be collaborating with Marc on this very unique and special
project.”
About Kubrick, Forster states: “I am indebted to Stanley Kubrick and his
visionary films. It is an honor and a huge responsibility to take on this
project, and we’re thankful to his family for their support. This is a powerful
work, an epic story, with its psychological landscape of brother pitted against
brother, and friend against friend. We believe it will be an incredibly
interesting trilogy, and a great experience sharing our mutual passion of
Kubrick’s vision.”
Adds Renee Wolfe: “I had the rare opportunity to pour over Stanley
Kubrick’s handwritten notes on this script, which consist of literally hundreds
of meticulous and beautifully drawn maps, sketches and journal entries. The
level of passion and insight that he had for this intense period of American
history is both inspiring and astounding.”
Marc Forster has directed major studio films (“Quantum of Solace,” “World
War Z,” “Stranger Than Fiction”) and independent character driven films (Oscar
Best Picture nominee “Finding Neverland,” Oscar winning “Monsters Ball, ” “The
Kite Runner”). He is currently directing his screenplay of “All I See Is You,”
developed and produced with producing partner Reneé Wolfe via their creative
company, 2Dux2. “All I See Is You” is a
visually driven drama that tells the story of a blind woman (Blake Lively)
and her husband (Jason Clarke) who, upon the restoration of her sight,
begin to discover previously unseen and disturbing details about themselves,
their marriage and their lives.
Stanley Kubrick, who was Oscar-nominated four times for directing and five
for writing, wrote and directed some of cinema’s most memorable and
controversial films, including “Spartacus,” “Lolita,” “Dr. Strangelove,” “2001:
A Space Odyssey,” “A Clockwork Orange,” “Barry Lyndon,” and “The Shining,”
among many others. A number of his films, such as the aforementioned “Paths of
Glory,” in addition to his “Full Metal Jacket,” dealt with the atrocities of
war, and their impact on individuals and societies.
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