Update: We’ve updated this story with a new photo.
When I first heard that Josh Brolin was cast as George W. Bush in Oliver Stone’s new film W., I was confused. Brolin is a great actor, but if I were to list 20 actors to play George W, his name wouldn’t have made that list, never mind even come into my mind. Elizabeth Banks as Laura Bush was a little easier to see. But the cover for next week’s Entertainment Weekly mkes me wonder why he wasn’t #1 on my list.
Co-starring James Cromwell as George H. W. Bush, Ellen Burstyn as Barbara Bush, and Rob Corddry as Ari Fleischer. Based on the life and presidency of George W. Bush, Stone has compared W. to The Queen and Nixon. The screenplay was written pre-strike by Stanley Weiser, who had co-wrote Wall Street with Stone. Weiser and Stone read 17 books as part of their research for the script. W. began filming late last month in Shreveport, Louisiana. The film is intended to be released for the presidential election in November 2008, or the Presidential inauguration in January 2009.
Entertainment Weekly has an extended look at the production.
Discuss: What do you think of Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Banks as George and Laura Bush?
May 7th, 2008 at 11:59 pm
First… Fuck this movie. Fuck Oliver Stone.
Josh Brolin is blowing up.
May 8th, 2008 at 12:02 am
holy fucking transformation batman! talk about becoming the character, very nice.
May 8th, 2008 at 12:02 am
Elizabeth Banks is far too pretty to play Laura Bush. They should have cast Dr. Zira.
May 8th, 2008 at 12:10 am
what a perfectly good waste of a hot actress
May 8th, 2008 at 12:26 am
awww, andrew b. is a conservitive fan-boy :(
I’d call that the worst of both worlds.
May 8th, 2008 at 12:27 am
this looks like a comedy.
May 8th, 2008 at 12:30 am
I have worked in a comic shop… conservative fanboys are sadly a vast breed.
May 8th, 2008 at 1:32 am
“Elizabeth Banks is far too pretty to play Laura Bush. They should have cast Dr. Zira.”
haha pretty much.
May 8th, 2008 at 1:56 am
hey! its the terminator!
May 8th, 2008 at 2:57 am
I just met the editor this past weekend, he told me we get to see Bush’s college years ;) i’m excited.
movie is going to rock, OS is going to make him look like such a fuckup.
May 8th, 2008 at 3:45 am
Will this contain the pantented Oliver Stone “half-truths” and “fabrications” found in JFK?
or is this actually based on real accounts?
May 8th, 2008 at 4:12 am
why the hell is this being made?
May 8th, 2008 at 5:14 am
sounds like a horror film….havn’t we been living in a nightmare long enough?
maybe i’d take my son to see it if i could afford to drive to the movies and if he wasn’t in iraq.
May 8th, 2008 at 5:31 am
That just looks like Josh Brolin with a bush wig on.
May 8th, 2008 at 6:15 am
“Get to thee choppa!”
he looks like Anrold Schwarzenegger
May 8th, 2008 at 6:52 am
Oliver Stone hasn’t made a good movie this decade….Any Given was for dumb people and Alexander was unwatchable.
Will someone just assassinate Bush? I’d throw $5 on it.
May 8th, 2008 at 6:56 am
not to say that I don’t trust the acting chops of ms. banks, but her believability as the first lade could make this movie go either way.
and the reason “why the hell this movie is being made” is because there is nothing you can do about it…at this point, where “final destination 4″ is coming out soon, there’s not really much point in questioning the integrity of an originally scripted movie. we might as well be thankful that it’s not a remake or a sequel to another george bush movie.
May 8th, 2008 at 7:02 am
Oliver Stone jumped the shark.
May 8th, 2008 at 7:33 am
They should have had Judge Judy play the first lady.
May 8th, 2008 at 8:05 am
First of all, did Anthony Hopkins really look THAT much like Nixon? I don’t recall, so I’d much rather have an actor that somewhat resembles the real person and can act than an impersonator who can’t. Also, Banks is not TOO pretty to play Laura. True, Banks is smokin’ hot, but Laura’s probably the most attractive first lady to come along in awhile, especially considered to what we had for 12 years (Barbara and Hillary).
I’m actually excited for this movie, and this is someone who’s not a complete and utter Bush-hater.
May 8th, 2008 at 8:31 am
I totally want to pork Laura Bush. That said, I agree that it’s been quite some time since an Oliver Stone film as been any good. Natural Born Killers was probably the last.
May 8th, 2008 at 8:51 am
wow, gee, huzzah, more political grandstanding from hollywood. These guys are so nepotistic and in bed with the Democratic party it makes me want to puke. From what I’ve heard of Oliver Stone film sets, he should be in prison, not making movies. Just like we need him to morally grandstand about the most misrepresented leader on the planet, who probably is one of the only people on the planet who took the right preventive/decisive action after 3000 citizens were killed in one day after 8 years of Democratic “fuck-ups.”
May 8th, 2008 at 8:55 am
Mohican obviously is a mentally handicapped person. Our country is in economic and political shambles, but yet you still support this idiot. You are part of the problem - you and Bush should throw yourselves off a cliff.
May 8th, 2008 at 8:59 am
brolin should not have taken this role. banks real last name is mitchell. dont know why she changed it. she is a nie tight piece of ass. why make a movie about this moron, we’ve had to deal with him 8 years, we have had enough, why make a movie INCOMPETENCE. after the doors, Oliver Stone turned into a dumbass!
May 8th, 2008 at 9:01 am
Gee, let me guess the plot…
Bush is a complete idiot who can’t walk and chew gum at the same time, yet is also a sly and manipulative evil genius able to thwart his enemies at every turn.
Everything Bush does is a failure. Everything Bush says is a lie. Yet somehow there’s never any actual evidence of him doing anything wrong.
On 9/11 Bush and the Jews secretly remote-fly the planes into the towers so Bush can invade Saudi Arabia and steal all their oil and use it to destroy the ozone layer while randomly torturing completely innocent civilians picked randomly off the street just for fun.
The movie ends with Bush being assasinated on his last day in office, while the real power, VP Cheney laughing inside the safety of his hollow volcano lair, peels off his human-mask to reveal that he is a reptillian alien overlord.
THE END
May 8th, 2008 at 9:05 am
Yeah buddy. You just watch, if we get a Democratic president, suddenly the media and everyone will start talking about how great the world is and how the economy is on the upswing and people will feel safe to buy again. They’re getting what they want.
Our country is in political shambles simply because Democrats don’t have the balls to stick to their word and support their country and their President during wartime. We are the paper tiger that Osama Bin Laden called us long before he struck the towers. They are waiting for a Democratic president to be elected before they strike again.
Doomsday for America is coming soon, and the Democrats are waltzing our way to oblivion. If you think it’s bad now, you have no idea how bad things can get. Sorry sir, but you are the one that strikes me as an idiot and can choose to blame all of the world’s current problems on one man. Stupid is, as stupid does. I won’t stoop to your level and recommend group suicide, either.
May 8th, 2008 at 9:47 am
@ political debaters (mohican, brian, etc)
stfu, talk about the movie, this isnt a political blog.
banks is too hot to play laura, but thats fine, because id hate to sit and watch it and have to stare at a judge judy or whatever. the image does look a bit comical, like an SNL skit or something. i guess it isnt too far off, since bush does look pretty comical naturally.
May 8th, 2008 at 11:15 am
Hes got my vote. Only in a joke way.
May 8th, 2008 at 11:24 am
IN the end, democrats or republicans, we’re all americans. I’m not going to point fingers and play that game. However, if you ask me if I like George W., the answer is no but that’s far from unAmerican. I remember how someone that I know once said that it’s unAmerican to dislike the president’s decisions. But he didn’t like Clinton, so that makes him a hypocrite, right?
May 8th, 2008 at 11:46 am
I already can picture Bush getting all excited telling people there’s a movie being made about him, and someone having to explain to him why thats not a good thing.
Six months to go til we get out of this downward spiral, thats the good thing about rock bottom you can only go up.
May 8th, 2008 at 11:47 am
who cares if an actor “looks” like the real person, it’s all down to acting chops…i could care less if they look the part, as long as they act the part…
May 8th, 2008 at 11:56 am
They should just light the money they plan to spend on this movie on fire (or give it to me). Nobody is going want to see this or think about W once he’s gone. He will be swept under the national rug. I am surprised this was greenlit.
And yes, mohican sounds like a crazy person. Too much Rush perhaps.
May 8th, 2008 at 11:58 am
In my opinion? this is going to cause such a rift in the American Movie goer. So many questions will plague people. A trailer would help/hinder this film. All the mean while there will be a non stop coverage from its controversy from news broadcasts I think.
Who knows what shall come of this other than another Oliver Stone pumping his ego. Why the hell can’t the man make anything besides Bio Pics. This shit is getting IRRITATING
May 8th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
“most misrepresented leader on the planet”
Don’t you mean, “misunderestimated?”
Sorry couldn’t resist. I’m done now.
May 8th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
i hope they get all the parts when he said stuff in his speeches that didnt make sense, like these wonderful gems (these are for you mohican)
“Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream.” —LaCrosse, Wis., Oct. 18, 2000
“There’s an old saying in Tennessee — I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.” —Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002
“Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.” —Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2004
May 8th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
I don’t want to mention any names but George Bush
is a dumbass. :)
May 8th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
big daddy, I laughed at the quotes.
but also! I’m prety sure Banks has some old wrinkly make up, just hard to see cuz of the scan.
May 8th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
*looks at pics* Wow, Brian Williams, he got old really fast!
May 8th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
I’m a Brolin fan, so I’ll watch it. However, I think the utopian ending of Bush taking a bullet to the face like in “Death of a President” would be much cooler than the probable’ Hee haw” style ending that the movie will have.
May 8th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
i dont care who stars as long as it makes Bush look like an idiot.
May 8th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
@ john
well, what if its a science fiction, or fantasy movie? then he would probably be intelligent and formulate thoughts correctly
May 8th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
how about an alternate universe Bush film where he actually leads the country away from the Iraq war and still sticks it to Bin Laden by finding him and bringing him to justice!!
then he becomes the greatest president ever and is elected to a 3rd term.
nah……. that could never happen.
May 8th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
I am going to stand up and cheer like it’s an action movie opening night at the Chinese.
To all people who think Bush should off himself…
He’ll be out of office in a couple months. Don’t get your panties in a bunch.
Furthermore, is there anyone who will actually see this movie and change their minds about good ol’ W? I expect the theaters to be lined with brain-dead liberals who will use this as fuel to become more ‘outraged’ at the atrocities he’s committed.
In reality, Bush should be given a lifetime presidency just to piss all the libs off. It’s fucking hysterical. If we were living under William J. Clinton he would have done the same thing, only everyone would be behind him. What a fucking joke.
May 8th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
cmon jimbo, didnt you get the memo? I’ll repeat the main idea:
this isnt a political blog.
but yeah, i can safely say that the only reason i would see this is to hate him more than i do now. i admitted it on another article about this movie from a few weeks ago. Hes one of those presidents some of us love to hate. and when i say hate i mean as a president. i wouldnt mind getting drunk with that dude, he would be fun to listen to, what with all the bushisms he has provided while sober(i hope) over the years.
May 8th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
that’s ill
May 9th, 2008 at 1:14 am
I’ve seen enough and heard enough Bush to last me the rest of my life. The last thing i want to do is see a movie about him. This looks like a comedy, but it’s listed as drama on IMDB…Is that right? This has to be a comedy…Who the hell would want to watch “A chronicle on the life and presidency of George W. Bush”?
May 9th, 2008 at 4:48 am
Elizabeth Banks looks like a way younger more attractive version of Barbara Bush (nothing against her). I guess it works, but I think someone else would have been better suited for the role.
And I just don’t see Josh Brolin as W. He looks like an old politician, but not George W. in my opinion. Plus, he sort of clashes with Elizabeth.
May 21st, 2008 at 2:00 am
I attend film school in Toronto and my film history professor and head of the Film School is one of the top film critics in the business. He is one of the founders of the Toronto Film Festival, and has written a few books about the business. His latest, a biography of Clint Eastwood.
Anyhow, today in class we talked a little about the film JFK, when up came the topic of how good or bad the different presidents through the years have been, when one of the young kid’s said that someday in the future Bush will be looked on as having been a great President. Naturally, most of the rest of the class rolled up their eyes and others laughed. Then the professor told us about Stone’s new movie about Bush, and that he had read the script.
From what I understand Oliver Stone really went into depth about Bush’s drug use, how daddy dearest helped him get out of going into the Army and Vietnam, and all his dirty tricks and lies throughout his life. Oliver Stone has made a film showing the people what Bush’s life has been and leaving us to judge the man.
Well, anyone with half a brain has already has figured that out. Stone just solidifies that opinion.