Richard Kelly’s The Box in September 2009?!

Richard Kelly’s new film The Box finished shooting four plus months ago, and the first test screening is supposedly later this week. So we can probably expect to see the movie in theaters in October, November or December, right? Wrong.

According to Collider, Warner Bros is planning a 2009 release for the Donnie Darko director’s ney’s w sci-fi film. Not only that, but the date they are eyeing is over a year away - September 11th 2009. Why are they interested in a date so far away? And why September 11th? Does the date have anything to do with the plot? Not that I’m aware of. Of course, everything could change if the test screening scores are through the roof.

The Box tells the story of Norma and Arthur Lewis (James Marsden and Cameron Diaz), a suburban couple with a young child, receive a simple wooden box as a gift, which bears fatal and irrevocable consequences. A mysterious stranger, delivers the message that the box promises to bestow upon its owner $1 million with the press of a button. But, pressing this button will simultaneously cause the death of another human being somewhere in the world; someone they don’t know. With just 24 hours to have the box in their possession, Norma and Arthur find themselves in the cross-hairs of a startling moral dilemma and must face the true nature of their humanity.

  • Tim G.
    Don't WB know about the last movie Kelly released around mid-September?
  • Cheng
    Wasn't this a Twilight Zone episode? Yes it was. I think it was around 15 - 30 minutes on TV.
  • They have to make a Richard Kelly film coherent, which is certainly not an easy task.
  • Robert
    Man was Southland Tales bad. So bad. So very bad. Perhaps Donnie Darko was only accidently kinda good?
  • Aqualeo
    I'm waiting for the Director's Cut of Southland Tales before I judge it. I'll agree it was crazy, but after listening to the commentary of Donnie Darko, I can really see that this guy's concepts are out there. I'm wanting the commentary on Southland to do the same for it. Darko was a totally different movie after hearing him explain it on the commentary.
  • Robert
    He can't comment away The Rock's performance. Conceptual stuff aside, I think he made some VERY bad decisions on that film. From the casting all the way down to the fonts used in the graphics. I gave as much benefit of the doubt as I could muster. I'd still listen to the commentary to see what the guy has to say, but I don't think that one can be saved.
  • skaught
    that picture looks stupid as hell.
  • Gabe Bo
    I once got a box like that in the mail ... totally pushed the button.
  • TheGuyInThePJ's
    If you look at the Warner Bros 2008 Fall/Winter film slate... there is just not enough room. (or maybe not enough time marketing wise)

    Nights in Rodanthe 9/26/08
    House of Lies - 10/10/08
    He's Just Not That Into You -10/24/08
    RockNRolla -10/31/08
    Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - 11/21/08
    Yes Man - 12/19/08
    Gran Torino -Dec 2008

    Warner wants to release the film in the Fall time-frame but just couldn't do it this year... so they chose to hold the film until next September.

    And I'm sure the September 11th thing was a conscious decision. It's definitely a date that will stand out.
  • Reminds me of that short story in Chuck Palahnuiks " Haunted"
    " The nightmare box...

    But Chucks story was better....


    and releasing it on September one-one is as gimmicky as that 911 pop up coin.
  • Atarishark
    This was a Twilight Zone episode right? It's a cool story, but I already know how it will end. It is definitely not original, I just can't remember what show it was on. I suppose Kelly's next movie will be about a little clown figurine that exacts revenge upon a sadistic babysitter for a little girl? Oh, that was another episode of the same show right? I am doubtful, but then again, if any director can make a concept 5 times as long as it should be it is him.
  • Greyson
    A. Southland Tales was great. I actually took some time to find out the first 3 chapters that were untold but it didn't add too much to the film. Sometimes people hate a director for one movie and always hate him, or they expect too much from him. Either way, ST was one hell of a ride, and if people need every little detail explained, then you guys should go watch Disaster Movie. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

    B. I first thought this was the movie about the vagina with teeth. Oops.
  • Jamie
    WTF.

    This was a Twilight Zone episode!

    The mysterious guy brings a box and says if they press the button, they get [lots of money/whatever] and "Someone will die, someone you DON'T EVEN KNOW."

    --> SPOILER SPOILER <---

    It was a pretty good episode, but an entire movie?
  • Jamie
    Whoops, reposting...

    WTF.

    This was a Twilight Zone episode!

    The mysterious guy brings a box and says if they press the button, they get [lots of money/whatever] and "Someone will die, someone you DON'T EVEN KNOW."

    --] SPOILER [---

    So at the end, they press the button. The guy shows up. They ask where he's going to now. He's say he's taking the button to the next person, someone THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW.

    Hence, they're fucked. They're the next to die.

    --] SPOILER [---

    It was a pretty good episode, but an entire movie?
  • JEFF KENNEDY
    I've been looking for this The Box original for quite awhile
    doesn't match any of the New Twilight Zones as didn't find
    it in Tales from the Dark Side wouldn't be a Monsters
    but I'm guessing I'm remember it from about 20 years
    ago and haven't seen it since ????????????
  • jeff kennedy
    50. Button, Button
    Community Score8.3
    Great 2
    reviews
    First aired: 3/7/1986
    An unhappy couple is given an unusual offer. Push a button on a box and someone they don't know will die, but they will get $200,000.

    Writer: Richard Matheson, Richard Matheson
    Director: Peter Medak
    Guest star: Basil Hoffman (Steward), Brad Davis (Arthur Lewis), Mare Winningham (Norma)
blog comments powered by Disqus