Will there ever be another big budget Titanic film

[Scott Newman]

In my mind, another Titanic movie seems to be another decade or so away. The popularity of James Cameron's Titanic makes the possibility of a new film in the near future difficult, in my opinion. But if a new movie could be made, what would the story be about? Is there room for improvement as far as story, factual recreation, and even special effects are concerned? Just something to talk about!

 

[Matthew Lips]

I've always rather fancied the idea of a remake of ANTR, with 21st century special effects and, more importantly, with what we know now about Titanic that was not known in the 1950's.

The cherry on top would be, how would they handle the Californian incident? Whatever they did, they would get a right royal roasting either from the pro- or anti- faction!

We've had a big budget "fictionalised" Titanic story. I can't imagine another being made for ages, but something more of a documentary or "truthful" nature may find enough of a potential audience to be worth making.

Sadly, though, I have to seriously doubt that.

 

[Wesley Burton]

I hope not. Titanic 1997 was good, but I dont like Hollywood. They make what they want to make, not what should be made.

It would be relatively cheap to have a remake of ANTR with our special effects technology. By cheap, I mean compared to Titanic 1997.

When I watch any film dealing with history I look at historical accuracy above all else.

 

[Ryan Patrick Thiessen]

ANTR would be the perfect next film about Titanic in my humble opinion. I agree with Matthew, I think it would be facinating to watch. However I also agree with the opinion that it would have to come out a few years down the road. Just so it did not draw the inevitable comparisons. Who to Direct? I think that would be the most imprtant question in order to stay away from a "Hollywood" director trying to make a big specticle and instead find someone who would treat the story correctly. Who indeed?

 

[Johan Jonsson]

I think James Cameron would be a good director for a remake of ANTR, Since he is very dedicated to Titanic and historical accuracy. Do not forget that he wanted to put in more historical events in the movie, but it was cut for pacing. Also take a look at his attention for details on the set.

 

[Bob Godfrey]

Nobody knows better than James Cameron that the only kind of Titanic film that would repay a major investment is the kind of film he has already made. He is a great admirer of the original ANTR, but he is well aware that back in 1959 the film made very little money in the US despite receiving very good reviews in the Press and trade papers. Hollywood delivers what sells, and nobody can blame them for that. For the US market, Titanic provided a great setting but it was the fictional story of Rose and Jack that made the film a blockbuster success. Any Studio making a film to the same technical standards but without the fictional elements to generate mass audience appeal would probably end up bankrupt.
.

 

[Roy Kristiansen]

Perhaps we're looking at an updated documentary along the lines of A&E's "Titanic: Death of a Dream/The Dream Lives On." ...Newer graphics and more up-to-date research. I very much admire the original programs for what they attempted to do, but some of their research is already becoming a little creaky.

 

[Roy Kristiansen]

One reason I suggest this is because ANTR is already in a semi-documentary style and Titanic seems less prone to a screenwriter's flights of fantasy if it stays in that format. There are many ways to present a documentary. I think JC's GOTA showed that a purely factual recreation, done with imagination and empathy, can be every bit as affecting - if not more so - as some synthetic, improbable "romance" that's been grafted onto history to sell popcorn. It will also eventually be released on home video.

 

[Martin Owen Cahill]

Before another TITANIC film is made I would like to see the stories of the LUSITANIA and WILHELM GUSTLOFF told on screen. Both would make great films if approached with care and good research.

Wolfgang Petersen would be my pick for Producing and Directing but he is busy with "THE POSEIDON"
and thats another thread again.

Martin

 

[Martin Owen Cahill]

"I've always rather fancied the idea of a remake of ANTR, with 21st century special effects
and, more importantly, with what we know now about Titanic that was not known in the 1950's."
- Matthew Lips 14/03/2005 08:53hrs

Having Read and considered Matthew's arguement My imagination is getting the better of me.
An ANTR remake involving what that we have learned since 1958 has great potential.
change of mind at work here

I would like to see three new films after THE POSEIDON:

THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE LUSITANIA
Cameron and/or Spielgerg (2007)

SOS GUSTLOFF - W. Petersen film
(next after THE POSIEDON 2006)

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER (2012)

The titles possible working titles and if anyone can offer alternative titles then I'll watch this space with interest.

Martin

 

[Kyle Johnstone]

Hi Martin,

They could even do the Lusitania sinking in real time, as she sank in only 18 minutes. If the script were to have one main character, that character's 18 minute experience could be followed in depth, real time, from torpedo to...death or rescue?
The famous broadway producer, I can't recall his name right now, who produced "Peter Pan" (his character showed up in "Finding Neverland") would be an interesting story, with his death on the Lusitania the film's climax. There were many interesting folks on the Lucy.
Just my $.02's worth...

kj

 

[Aly Jones]

Well i think there will be another blockbuster Titanic movie,but not for a long time yet.Can you imagine the graphics by then!
What they should do is build a Titanic ride at an Amusement park.But then that could be disepectful for the Titanic victims.
That would be a laugh,making a movie in 18 minutes.They could play the movie in slow motion lol

 

[Will C. White]

Kyle-I think the name you may be searching for is Frohman, if memory serves. I don't think his body was ever recovered. As to 'Titanic', a big budget really requires that it be spent on a mini series (think Shogun or Roots) in order to cover the whole subject, from conception, through building and loss, and the resultant aftermath. This marvelous new digital technology makes production cheaper, so more money for more "name" talent. We must keep in mind that it was not just the loss of a ship with a high casualty rate, but the start of the end of a whole pattern in society, which would be effectively entirely gone by Christmas 1918.

 

[Jack Dawson]

I think Titanic films will always be around, but the major hurdle (aside from financing) is trying to break off a tiny twig from a massive tree; the major Titanic films have always tried to fit in too much because people want to fit the story in. You're really stuck with a limited number of ways to retell that same story over and over again. You either have to be 100% historically accurate, or you have to realize that making a 100% historically accurate film is tantamount to tempting a career killer and just start from scratch with fictional elements woven through a real story. You can make some of the people happy some of the time, or you can make almost nobody happy at all. Titanic is a novelty to many, but even as GOOD as ANTR is, it is still pretty slowly paced. Someone in this old thread suggested a remake of that old movie, but I can already imagine the howls of ANTR 'fans' if it were anything but a scene for scene copy of the old one.

And let's be realistic here, we do not really know as much about the events that night as we like to assume; or to extrapolate. There were conflicting accounts given by survivors, how do you decide which to accept and which to leave on the cutting room floor? Should we accept that Captain Smith swam away from the ship as some survivors claimed? How do you film a movie telling the stories of over 1,200 people who did not survive to record what they experienced? Obviously you either rely only on those survivor accounts, or you start writing fiction. But then you still have the problem of keeping your audience (and your studio) interested in what is happening, and that is a tough order when you have no 'main' characters to keep in the middle of the scenes. Too many cast members and it becomes hard to follow, and then you lose interest.

And what could be done that hasn't already been done enough?