Posted by ThomasOMalley at na6mr4fw01.fidelity.com on June 10, 2003 at 11:34:16:
In Reply to: Why did Norton want nothing to do with it? posted by Lithmick on June 10, 2003 at 11:28:23:
: It's not like he hasn't done similar sorts of movies - The Score is one - but then again he did say he would have read the phone book with DeNiro and Brando.
: But still..seems like a decent cast.
: Anyway, thanks for the input!
~Fight Club star Edward Norton is furious contractual obligations have forced him to star in a re-make of The Italian Job - a project he reportedly wants nothing to do with. Norton has apparently been making it clear on the set of the update of the classic British sixties movie that he is only appearing in the movie because he would be taken to court by film studio Paramount if he refused to do the film. The star signed a three-movie deal with Paramount early in his career but has only made one film for them, 1996's Primal Fear - but has been forced to accept this project after rejecting all offers for several years. Norton even returned a gift car the studio sent him on the first day of shooting of the mad-cap crime caper. He sent back the brand new Mini Cooper to Paramount's co-president of production with a note attached saying, "Why don't you give this to someone you like - or someone who likes you?"