In a case of truly terrible timing, Collider can confirm there’s aGreen Bookreunion on the horizon, asViggo Mortensenis in negotiations for a key supporting role in directorPeter Farrelly’s next film, which is being referred to asThe Greatest Beer Run Ever.
No, this isn’t some stupid new Farrelly brothers comedy. This Skydance project wasalready announced, and the story is actually pretty cool. It tells the true story ofJohn “Chickie” Donohue, who traveled from New York to Vietnam in 1967 just to share a few beers with his childhood buddies, who were fighting in the Army overseas.
I have no clue who Mortensen is playing, but obviously, he won’t be one of the buddies. I can see him playing their commanding officer, or perhaps Chickie’s father, but he could also be someone who simply helps the young man find his friends. Heck, maybe he’s playing the head of a beer company who likes Chickie’s idea and wants to donate for a good cause?
The film – which remains untitled according toVariety’s scoop– is based on the bookThe Greatest Beer Run Ever: A True Story of Friendship Stronger Than War, which Donohue co-wrote withJoanna Molloy. Farrelly co-wrote the script withBrian CurrieandPete Jones, and Skydance’sDavid Ellison,Dana GoldbergandDon Grangerwill produce withAndrew Muscato. Skydance’sAimee Riverawill oversee the project alongside Goldberg and Granger.
Now, I know I took a shot atGreen Bookabove, and I did so only because of the timing of this announcement in relation to what is currently happening in this country. The fact is, there are still a lot of people who are pissed thatGreen Bookwon Best Picture, and I understand why that is, though I have personally loved the film, andMahershala Ali’s dignified, Oscar-winning performance especially. I just rewatched it a few months ago and it totally held up, and nothing anyone says about it will get me to change my mind – though everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinion, just as I’m entitled to mine.
While critics may have been mixed,Green Bookwas a huge box office success, taking in more than $300 million worldwide on a reported production budget of just $23 million, so clearly it struck a chord with audiences. And regardless of how you feel about the film’s accuracy, I think it offers a message of racial harmony that we can all get behind, especially right now, when we need to come together as a country rather than fracture apart.
There’s no doubt that racial politics will be hard to ignore in a Vietnam War movie, so it’ll be interesting to see whether Farrelly usesThe Greatest Beer Run Everto address some of the criticisms lobbed atGreen Book– not that he has the responsibility to, mind you, just that hemay, and I stress may, have a unique opportunity to do so here. Still,Beer Runshouldn’t have to pay forGreen Book’s perceived sins, and i hope it’ll be judged on its own merits.
Green Bookbrought Mortensen his third Oscar nomination for Best Actor, and the well-respected actor recently made his directorial debut with the Sundance dramaFalling, which pairs him with veteran character actorLance Henriksen.Click hereto watch ourFallinginterview with Mortensen at Sundance.
