I feel so bad for Martin Guigui. Whether this film is decent or a complete harsh failure, he will be known for the REST of his life as "that guy that made that sequel to one of the greatest films ever to be put on screen."
Variety is reporting that Sunset Pictures and 982 Media's Raging Bull II is now heading to production. This prequel/sequel/whatever it is film is being directed by Martin Guigui from a script he co-wrote with Rustam Branaman.
Robert DeNiro and Martin Scorsese, who were the two big names from the first film, will have absolutely nothing to do with this film. That's probably not a great sign right there.
William Forsythe has the daunting task of taking over the role of Jake LaMotta in his older years while newcomer Mojean Aria will play him in his younger years.
Here is a description of the story:
“‘Raging Bull II’ is a continuation of the Jake La Motta story. When Robert De Niro won an Academy Award playing Jake in a film made from the book, La Motta’s life brightened as he shared the limelight with De Niro. Since then he has gone through fortunes, been wealthy and flat broke, and married again in addition to his first five marriages, which ended in divorces before, the film was produced. La Motta now lives with Theresa Miller, his sixth wife. In her he believes he has finally found a marital state that will endure for the balance of his life. All of the conflicts, the fights and the terrors, which have been part and parcel of La Motta’s life, are in these pages. The book takes a sharp look at the real Raging Bull, both as the controversial ring gladiator and as the older, wiser philosophically entertaining performer he has become. In the ex-fighter’s own words, ‘this time [he] has fought not to be a champion gladiator but to become a champion human being.’”
Question - Do you think this film is needed? I certainly don't think so. It's one of those films that doesn't need a sequel. AT ALL. But with sequels and prequels and remakes and reboots being the craze nowadays, why not make one for Raging Bull? I can see this film being a complete box office failure but at the same time people will be at least intrigued at the prospect of a sequel/prequel to Raging Bull which may make people get off their butts and watch this.
AFI named Raging Bull its 4th greatest film of all time in their 10th anniversary edition list and named it the greatest sports film ever made. Whether you agree with those rankings or not, you have to at least agree that a sequel/prequel to Raging Bull is probably not the greatest idea. I mean, regardless of how good the film is or could be, it will not compare to the original and while that's not fair, it's reality.
Source: IFC