This is one train that’s not making it out of the station just yet – at least not Sony's. James Mangold’s 3:10 To Yuma was set to begin filming for the studio this summer, but now the Western has been shoved on to the turnaround turntable.
"This is deja vu all over again," Mangold griped to Variety, who had a similar experience with Walk The Line being set at Sony only for it to be shut down. The Johnny Cash pic moved to Fox, and bagged several awards including an Oscar. Which makes it all the more confusing as to why the brake lever has been pulled.
Plus Yuma doesn’t have a spiralling budget, which has derailed other recent films. "This is a very middle-priced movie," Mangold argued. "I've never made a movie that has exceeded $60 million, and this one won't either."
One apparent concern was the fee for Russell Crowe (those phone insurance costs add up) and worries about the genre. But again, Mangold had a defence ready. "Westerns have come to mean a kind of narcissistic, ponderous film - and that ain't what we're making," Mangold said. We're making something with balls, taste and emotion. And I think it's something that's an answer to the kind of saturated, digital overload we're seeing on screens. This is about real people and real action. I have the utmost respect for Sony, Amy Pascal, Doug Belgrad, and I can't explain why it wouldn't fit into what they're doing. The only explanation I have is that when push came to shove it wasn't going.”
According to the director, he still has Crowe aboard and still wants to shoot the film in October. But first he’ll have to find a new station. Presumably Fox's number is still in his PDA?