https://variety.com/2019/film/...eastwood-1203245570/

Olivia Wilde, Jon Hamm Join Clint Eastwood’s ‘Richard Jewell’

Justin Kroll
June 17, 2019

Olivia Wilde and Jon Hamm have joined the cast of Clint Eastwood’s already star-studded drama “Richard Jewell.”

Paul Walter Hauser is set to star as the titular Jewell in Warner Bros.’ pic alongside Sam Rockwell as Jewell’s attorney and Kathy Bates as Jewell’s mother.

The drama is based on Marie Brenner’s article in Vanity Fair chronicling the story of Jewell, a real-life security guard whose world was turned upside down after law enforcement leaked to an overzealous reporter that Jewell was a possible suspect for the pipe-bombing at Centennial Park during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Wilde will play real-life reporter Kathy Scruggs, who covered the event as it unfolded, and Hamm will play an FBI agent investigating the bombing.

As law enforcement asserted Jewell planted the bomb himself and then “found” it to earn praise, the city reopened the park and attempted to calm a terrified public while the real lone wolf perpetrator remained at large. Jewell maintained his innocence throughout and was finally fully cleared by the FBI 88 days later, though his reputation was never restored and his health forever damaged. Jewell went on to become a police officer, but died of heart failure a few years later at the age of 44.

Jonah Hill and DiCaprio had originally been attached to star (DiCaprio was originally on board to play Rockwell’s role), but they will no longer appear in the movie, instead remaining on as producers. Billy Ray is writing the script.

Eastwood is directing and producing through his Malpaso production banner. Tim Moore, Jessica Meier, Kevin Misher and DiCaprio’s partner Jennifer Davisson Killoran are also producing.

The pic was originally set up at Fox, but landed at Warner Bros. after the Disney-Fox merger.

Wilde, who was recently named one of Variety‘s 10 Directors to Watch, is coming off her directorial debut “Booksmart,” which premiered at the SXSW Film Festival in March to rave reviews. Since opening last month, “Booksmart” has a become one of the best reviewed films of the year, earning a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Hamm can be seen in Amazon’s adaptation of “Good Omens” and will appear in Fox Searchlight’s astronaut pic “Lucy in the Sky,” which bows in the fall, alongside Natalie Portman. He also stars in “Top Gun: Maverick,” in theaters next summer.

We'll see.

Yeah, law enforcement and media savagely tore Jewel to shreds. Another "faux" media event made for ratings. Bastards!

I am with Gustofer. Clint has done some great directing. The Mule was disappointing. The topic here is likewise rather uninteresting considering we already know the story, and frankly the real story was not all that fascinating.

I’ll see it. Just for the reasons that it’s Clint and it’s another movie that’ll embarrass the mainstream media.

Hope it's not just a tribute movie but, an excoriation of an overzealous news media and how certain power can ruin lives.

quote:

Originally posted by craigcpa:
Yeah, law enforcement and media savagely tore Jewel to shreds. Another "faux" media event made for ratings. Bastards!

It was NOT law enforcement, it was the FBI based on their half ass bullshit profile at the time. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (common joke at the time was the GBI was what the FBI wanted to be like when they grew up)that said hold the horses, lets actually investigate and follow the evidence instead of a narrative that was convenient for the FBI.

I wonder if Hannity will get a cameo?

Eastwood? Didn't read or see a thing and ticket is sold.

Clint is filming it in Georgia, defying the left wing Hollywood ban on filming in Georgia due to their new abortion law.

Yep. Filming started this week in Atlanta.

I still have my copy of the Atlanta Constitution that has a front page story on the bombing a couple of days after the fact. The headline calls Jewell a "Hero", in quotations.

Here it is.



How's that for some objective journalism, huh?

I'm curious to see how it's portrayed in the movie.
My wife and I went to the stadium events that night and rode MARTA back to the park to check it out. We walked all the way through the crowd to the back and saw the "guards" behind the stage area. Most were just sitting around, not doing much guarding or anything important that we could see.
We then made our way back out through the crowd and left since the wife had to work the next morning. I'm guessing we left there about 30-45 minutes before the blast and were surprised to wake up to the news the next morning. We could have easily walked right past both Jewell and Rudolph, who actually did the bombing.

quote:

Originally posted by Fed161:
Clint is filming it in Georgia, defying the left wing Hollywood ban on filming in Georgia due to their new abortion law.

A whole gaggle of actor morons and companies are boycotting Georgia and Clint doesn't give a shit.
And guys like DeCaprio, Rockwell, etc, are just going to have to strap in for the ride on the Eastwood train.

I went to high school with Richard and I always wished I could've, would've reached out to him.

I hope Clint does right by him.

Hopefully it's better than The Mule (boring as fuk).

I’m guardedly optimistic.

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
Hopefully it's better than The Mule (boring as fuk).

It's one thing we agree on, I too thought The Mule was slow and boring. I have loved Clint's previous movies.....

I do hope Eastwood picks it up on this one and turns out a good movie.