Ayn Rand's most ambitious novel may finally be brought to the bigscreen after years of false starts.

Lionsgate has picked up worldwide distribution rights to "Atlas Shrugged" from Howard and Karen Baldwin ("Ray"), who will produce with John Aglialoro.

As for stars, book provides an ideal role for an actress in lead character Dagny Taggart, so it's not a stretch to assume Rand enthusiast Angelina JolieAngelina Jolie's name has been brought up. Brad PittBrad Pitt, also a fan, is rumored to be among the names suggested for lead male character John Galt.http://www.variety.com/VR1117942127.html
One of my favorite books. At first the thought of Brad Pitt as John Galt seemed absurd. Then I remembered his performance in fight club. He might be able to pull it off. Anyway, so long as the movie doesn't suck too bad, it might at least expose more people to the philosophy of Ayn Rand.

Hmmmmmmmmm.
Could be good.
Could be very, very bad.

The problem with Atlas Shrugged and Rand in general is her flair for the melodramatic and the boring...
She likes to drill points home. Again. And again. And again.
It's also funny how her heros, who are supposed to be individualistic and above the need to seek validation in other, spend so much time talking instead of doing. I suppose this is a consequence of the medium, but still.
Rand's philosophy would have silent gods worshipping themselves and admiring others in near perfect silence. The only communication being a utilitarian sort.
In practice, it is quite different.

Also. The ultimate irony of Rand's philosophy is her followers.... A philosophy of individualism peopled by Rand worshippers. Funny. So very funny.
And more than a little sad.


As to Brad Pitt. He's played several good roles. However, they are usually roles about emotional beings. The only one I can think of where he played anything that would be somewhat similar to John Galt would be Meet Joe Black. And that movie sucked ass. Well. To be honest, I don't know if it did or not. He spent the whole movie muttering and I barely heard a word he said....
He sure liked peanut butter though. I clearly understood that scene....


Jolie for Dagny??!!
Eek.
Maybe she can do it. Maybe. Hard to imagine her in the 40's garb that I always picture Dagny in.
And those tits of hers... I never pictured Dagny with a rack.


What about Francisco? Antonio Banderas? Hmmm. Russel Crowe might fit the part.

Rearden?


Let's forget the heros. What about the villains?
Who should play Dagny's brother?
Rearden's wife and brother?


Or how about that poor dreck of a woman in the little town where Galt used to work? The one where they found the engine? Who should play her gunny sack goodness?


Hmmm.

I don't know.
I think The Fountainhead might be a better choice for the screen. Atlas Shrugged is far too epic. The Fountainhead suffers the same melodramatic woes as Atlas Shrugged, but it is far more succinct a tale.


Warner Bros. made "The Fountainhead," starring Gary Cooper as the maverick architect Howard Roark, in 1949.

Wow.
I didn't know that. There is a Fountainhead movie?
Was it any good?
Might have to try to find it.

Ahh good old Atlas Shrugged - Everyone goes through a phase, usually in College, sometimes earlier in High School, where we read this novel, and for the next month act like complete pricks until we come to our senses and get over it.

I know a guy who does a webcomic and just finished reading Atlas Shrugged and suddenly all of his characters are spouting inane contrived dialogue about how they don't care about each other's feelings and what a noble thing it is to plow on without consideration of what you do to others.

Upon re-reading the novel myself, recently, I was struck less by the philosophy (which has had more than enough time to fizzle out and become seem sort of quaint and silly in my mind) and more time to blush and giggle at what a fantastically fickle slut Dagny Taggart is. Seriously, at points the book seems as if it's half ideological manifesto and half kinky fetish sex novel. Deep down inside, though I think all men want to be used and tossed aside by a strong woman, so I guess that actually helps advance the ideology.

The idea of any big-name Hollywood celebrity starring in any of the key roles (except as a villain) absolutely turns my stomach. The movie will be ruined - I couldn't see Jolie as Dagny at all. Aside from the fact that she's got absolutely none of the charm or grace of that classic 40s era woman (which Dagny definitely was) knowing too much about her personal life and the enormous acts of charity and good will she's got behind her would entirely break the illusion. her face can't be on that movie if there's to be any reasonable suspension of disbelief. Casting someone like Jolie can only serve to make a mockery of the ideology that a film adaptation should preserve.

On that note, though I don’t think this movie is going to get made - it's been in the works for so long and had so many "Oh now it's finally going to go through" type moments in the past that it's hard to believe that we'll ever actually see it.