According to Variety, Billy Bob Thornton – writer, director, actor, musician, famously agreeable interview subject – is writing and directing a new film, which reportedly takes as part of its inspiration Thornton’s real-life, still-hard-to-believe-it-was-real-life relationship with Angelina Jolie. PRO TIP: If you’re planning to interview Billy Bob any time soon, definitely ask him about it. And don’t be deterred if he’s evasive at first, just keep probing. Just make the whole thing about his past relationship with someone more famous, he’ll love it!
Billy Bob Thornton is co-writing and directing “And Then We Drove,” a road movie the filmmaker describes as “ethereal.”
INTERVIEWER: So, “ethereal.” That’s great, Mr. Bob Thornton, really great. But… what exactly do you mean by that?
THORNTON: (*glares at interviewer, tells confusing story about crawdad fishing, storms out of studio*)
The tentatively titled “Drove,” now being scripted by Thornton and his longtime writing partner Tom Epperson, is one of the first of up to six under-$20 million features to spring from the new $120 million film fund formed by Alexander Rodnyansky’s AR Films and Geyer Kosinski’s Media Talent Group.
Both the fund and “Drove” were developed during the production of tonight’s Berlinale competition world premiere, “Jayne Mansfield’s Car,” the producers’ initial collaboration and Thornton’s first narrative helming effort in more than a decade.
Rodnyansky, who is producing alongside Kosinski, said he hopes to receive the first draft in March and aims to start a U.S.-based shoot sometime this year.
“I found the story amazing. It’s a pretty new combination of genres to put into one movie,” said Rodnyansky, who heard the “Drove” plotline in detail from Thornton on the “Car” set. “It’s based on his personal experiences in many ways.”
Thornton said the film is about “a guy who’s on a road trip and picks up this girl along the way, and what happens to them. It’s about the question of life: ‘What is this? Where do I fit in?’ ”
An insider said the film is partly inspired by Thornton’s wild and well-documented relationship with ex-wife Angelina Jolie, which Rodnyansky confirmed. [Variety]
Jesus Christ, I already told you, it’s about a guy and a girl, the meaning of life, and it’s “ethereal.” What else could you possibly want to know? Poor, Billy Bob, I don’t know why he always gets the stupid interviewers. Oh, and I hear Billy Bob’s soul patch is getting co-writer credit.
This sounds like more of an origin story. I’ll probably just wait for the sequel, about the good part of the relationship, “And Then We Boned.”