Re: Donnie Darko Sequel. Codenamed, "S. Darko"
 

In the commentary track on the DVD, they say that the budget was $4 million (though IMDB says $4.5)...
They also talk about how "people worked for nothing" and "nobody made a dime", but folks went through with it "because of the material"...

Drew Barrymore also put up some of her own money to help fund the film... And really, her and Patrick Swayze were the only two "big names" as far as films are concerned... There were a couple more fairly big TV personalities, but Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal weren't exactly big names at the time...

Re: Donnie Darko Sequel. Codenamed, "S. Darko"
 

Thanks for doing the dirty work for me :)

Re: Donnie Darko Sequel. Codenamed, "S. Darko"
 

The ambiguity was the best thing the film had going for it. When its all spelled out and made clear, its not as interesting of an experience.

I don't understand the desire to use the "Darko" brand on this movie. It seems like it has a fair enough premise, and judged on its own, could be entertaining. Now it will judged against something that fans laud over like a martyr and most people have never even heard of.

Re: Donnie Darko Sequel. Codenamed, "S. Darko"
 

Yeah, I'm severly worried that this movie is going to have "American Psycho 2" written all over it.

Re: Donnie Darko Sequel. Codenamed, "S. Darko"
 

Donnie Darko does not need a sequel...but, I guess now that it has gained some popularity amongst casual viewers Hollywood feels that they can make some money, good for them. Money in the bank.

Re: Donnie Darko Sequel. Codenamed, "S. Darko"
 

Well, at the time, they weren't quite big names. Jake Gyllenhall (however his last name is spelled) was just barely beginning to get known so he didn't require much cash at the time. It wasn't until basically Day after Tomorrow that he really took off (Bubble Boy doesn't count even though that was out before DT)

I didn't say it was a masterpiece. It was a good cult type of flick like Donnie Darko was. BE2 was just an attempt to see if they could cash in on the cult status and it failed because it had nothing to do with the original except "family member" tie in I believe.

Re: Donnie Darko Sequel. Codenamed, "S. Darko"
 

Don't even bring up that atrocity.


*shudders*

Re: Donnie Darko Sequel. Codenamed, "S. Darko"
 

I came so close to being able to say I saw Donnie Darko during it's original theatrical run (which would clearly earn me a ton of indie street cred) because it was playing in a local theater, and I read a good review in The Washington Post because I recognized him in the accompanying picture becaaaauuuse I had seen him (multiple times) in: October Sky...

Such an amazing movie back when I was still an impressionable youngling with hopes and dreams... And his only starring role prior to Donnie Darko...

So I would hardly call Day After Tomorrow his breakthrough role...
You don't usually land a leading role in a "Summer Blockbuster" with a budget of an estimated $125 million dollars unless you've already broken through to some extent...

I'd say bursting onto the scene with two critically-acclaimed lead roles in two critically-acclaimed movies (the second of which gradually built up a large fanbase) would serve that purpose...

Re: Donnie Darko Sequel. Codenamed, "S. Darko"
 

I thought Jake Gyllenhaal got pushed to stardom because of his sister Maggie. Damn she's cute.

Re: Donnie Darko Sequel. Codenamed, "S. Darko"
 

Jake's dreamy. I get lost in that mischievous grin for hours.

Re: Donnie Darko Sequel. Codenamed, "S. Darko"
 

Fun fact: Jake used to date Jenny Lewis.

Re: Donnie Darko Sequel. Codenamed, "S. Darko"
 

Yeah, he had October Sky also. I was just making references that the general public didn't really get to see him much or know who he was until Day after Tomorrow since it was his first big blockbuster film. Granted, he didn't truly burst out into the scene fully until Brokeback Mountain but..I won't touch that :p

Re: Donnie Darko Sequel. Codenamed, "S. Darko"
 

Brokeback Mountain was a good film that was unfortunately lauded on by a lot of people for the wrong reasons. The actual narrative and acting were genuinely well done, and while the subject matter obviously mattered to that narrative, it wasn't just something about pushing cultural boundaries about what you can do with homosexuality in cinema. Its unfortunate that so much of the praise centered on that agenda rather than the actual movie.

Heath Ledger's performance was really quite haunting.