How great was that first trailer for Oliver Stone's “Savages”? It promised that the star-studded cast of the film may have rejuvenated its flailing helmer, who’s become more associated with titles like “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” and “World Trade Center” as of late, over his far more diverting and controversial fare like "JFK," “Platoon,” “Natural Born Killers,” and “Born on the Fourth of July.” Stone worked on the screenplay for the film with author Don Winslow, who also wrote the book on which it is based, and now Winslow seems to be carrying some of the cachet he may be earning from “Savages” to his next project.
Teaming up with author Chuck Hogan, who wrote the crime novel “Prince of Thieves” — upon which writer-director Ben Affleck’s “The Town” was based—the pair are working on a currently untitled script that is a contemporary crime thriller set to be produced by “Savages” producer and co-writer Shane Salerno. The plot will revolve around two men set to collide amidst the sort of nefarious supporting characters that tend to populate the creative worlds of Winslow and Hogan. The pair will each focus their attention on one of the two lead characters, and eventually turn it into one comprehensive script that Salerno will then shop around to studios. Could be an enthralling crime caper or one exciting writer’s workshop, we’re eager to see.
It’s been said that you’re never “hotter” in Hollywood than right before your next big movie, and that especially seems true for Winslow. When “Savages” was moved from a fall release to a prime spot right in the middle of summer, it showed a tremendous amount of faith from the studio, and with that trailer, we can see where it’s coming from. He also has a brewing film adaptation of his novel “Satori” with Leonardo DiCaprio attached, with “Frankie Machine” on the table, and a “Savages” prequel novel entitled “The Kings of Cool” on the way to bookstores. Hogan is set to reteam with “The Town” and “The Departed” producer Graham King to write a Boston-set crime drama script for GK Films about the true story of John Martorano, the chief enforcer of the infamous Winter Hill gang, best known for producing mobster Whitey Bulger. Hogan is also certainly no stranger to working with filmmakers or other creative partners, having co-wrote helmer Guillermo Del Toro’s vampire trilogy that started with “The Strain.” The Deadline report also adds that Hogan is currently adapting his own crime thriller “Devils In Exile,” which has been renamed “Sugar Bandits,” that focuses on a group of Iraq War veterans who, upon their return to America, decide to take on Boston’s drug trade. It sounds like safe territory is ahead for both writers, but we’re sure they’ll make it interesting, and we hope their respective projects are successful enough to keep the seedy worlds they love to create thriving.
As the pair is set to collide on this script much like the characters in it, we’ll have to wait and see how “Savages” pans out, and hope these two continue to deliver.