Michael Mann Abandoned A James Dean Biopic Because He Was Tired Of Waiting For Leonardo DiCaprio To Age

EXCLUSIVE: Italian firm Iervolino and Monika Bacardi Entertainment has boarded Michael Mann’s big canvas car racing drama Ferrari.

In the year 2000, the late literary critic Robin Wood put forth the concept of “hysterical realism,” a then-emergent micro-genre in which the delirious overstimulation of modern life is expressed through a hoarder-caliber accumulation of detail. At the time, he was talking about the likes of Thomas Pynchon, David Foster Wallace, and Zadie Smith, and their doorstopper works’ endless minutiae on land surveying or tennis strategy or the ethics of lab rat usage.

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck tied the knot again on Saturday in front of their family and friends in Georgia.MORE: Casey Affleck's reason for missing Ben Affleck and J-Lo's wedding - all we knowHowever, one guest who was thought to have been absent from the nuptials was Ben's younger brother, actor Casey Affleck, who was reported to have been unable to attend due to parental obligations.Casey will no doubt have sent his best regards to Ben and J-Lo - who he recently enjoyed a star-studded night out with in Italy - and all for a very good cause.VIDEO: Jennifer Lopez gives rare shout-out to Ben AffleckThe Hustlers star and actor were both in Capri, Italy, to attend the Luisa Via Roma x Unicef gala.MORE: Ben Affleck makes huge personal decision after wedding to Jennifer LopezMORE: Jennifer Lopez makes heartfelt revelation about her blended family with Ben AffleckJennifer performed for almost an hour at the fundraiser, while Casey was out to support her, even hosting the auction at the event.They raised a lot of money too, with hosts Luisa Via Roma taking a staggering 8M euros for UNICEF.Other guests in attendance included Leonardo DiCaprio, Lara Stone, Edward Enninful, Jared Leto and Nathalie Emmanuel. Jennifer Lopez performed at the star-studded Luisa Via Roma x Unicef gala in July - also attended by Casey AffleckJennifer and Ben had honeymooned just the week before in Paris, following on from their surprise Las Vegas wedding on July 17.MORE: Jennifer Lopez's third wedding dress is her most jaw-dropping yetMORE: Inside 'soulmates' Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's 'emotional' wedding ceremonyThe couple took along their children on the trip, too - and it looked like a great time was had by all.

This month saw the release of “Heat 2,” the novelization sequel to Michael Mann‘s acclaimed 1995 heist flick “Heat” that the filmmaker co-wrote with Meg Gardiner. The book wasn’t just an exercise for the director as Mann is planning to turn it into one big feature film, essentially giving us a sequel/prequel given how the story jumps between events before and after the original movie.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Michael Mann is having quite a week.

Yesterday was a good one for filmmaker Michael Mann. He began production in Italy on Ferrari, and learned that his first novel landed atop The New York Times Bestseller hardcover list. Heat 2 fleshes out the events before and after Mann’s 1995 crime classic Heat, and lands atop the NYT list in its first week in publication. Mann wrote his novel debut with co-writer Meg Gardiner in a book published through Mann’s William Morrow imprint. Heat 2 is the first book in a three book multi-million dollar deal between Michael Mann books and the Harper Collins division, In a Deadline feature on the book last week, Mann said that he plans to lean into continuing the crime story, which in the present focuses on the criminal exploits of Chris Shiherlis, played by Val Kilmer in the original film, and Detective Vincent Hanna, played by Al Pacino in the film. Mann hopes to adapt Heat 2 into a theatrical feature, after he completes Ferrari with Adam Driver, Penelope Cruz and Shailene Woodley starring.

#FerrariMovie @FerrariMovie pic.twitter.com/aUOr5C0U4G“Ferrari” is set during the summer of 1957. Ex-racecar driver Enzo Ferrari is in crisis. Bankruptcy stalks the company he and his wife, Laura, built from nothing 10 years earlier.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentPenelope Cruz and Adam Driver, who are both expected to be attending the upcoming Venice Film Festival, are already in Italy shooting Micheal Mann’s long-gestating “Ferrari” drama, in which Cruz appears as the wife of auto racing impresario Enzo Ferrari, played by Driver.First images are surfacing of Cruz (see above photo) as Ferrari’s wife Laura after cameras started rolling Aug. 1 in central Italy.The big-budget biopic kicked off physical production in the town of Maranello, known worldwide as the home of Ferrari and the iconic car’s Formula One racing team.

Leonardo DiCaprio almost played one of Hollywood’s iconic legends on the big screen.

Leonardo DiCaprio almost got the chance to play the iconic and gone-before-his-time movie heartthrob James Dean. However, the superstar was apparently just too young for the role.In a recent interview with, director Michael Mann revealed that, before he helmed his 1995 crime classic, he was attached to direct a biopic about the star's short but intense life.«It was a brilliant screenplay.

Leonardo DiCaprio was almost cast as James Dean in a biopic after an “amazing” screen test aged 19.Director Michael Mann revealed there was a “brilliant screenplay” about the late actor which he was going to direct before 1995’s Heat, but he moved onto the crime epic because his choice for the role, DiCaprio, was “too young” for the part.Speaking to Deadline, Mann said: “That was so weird about James Dean. It was a brilliant screenplay. And then it’s who the hell could play James Dean? And I found a chap who could play James Dean, but he was too young.

Deadline on Wednesday that he grew tired of waiting for DiCaprio to age up for the role.“That was so weird about James Dean,” Mann said.“It was a brilliant screenplay. And then it’s who the hell could play James Dean? And I found a chap who could play James Dean, but he was too young.

The publication of Heat 2 this week marks writer/director Michael Mann’s debut as a novelist, expands the mythology of perhaps his most beloved film, and becomes the first major release of the publishing imprint he set at William Morrow six years ago.

her unexpected wedding with Ben Affleck and her romantic honeymoon in Paris, the talented performer headlined the LuisaViaRoma x Unicef charity gala in Capri, Italy, on Saturday.The singer, who was also spotted spending time with one of her kids, Emme, while on vacation, opened her set with two of her most popular songs, ‘If You Had My Love’ and ‘Waiting for Tonight.’Jennifer looked absolutely stunning, revealing to the audience that she was going for a disco inspired outfit, wearing a custom tiger-striped Roberto Cavalli by Fausto Puglisi with big feathers. “We’re giving disco tonight,” she said to her fans at the Certosa San Giacomo.Many other celebrities and musicians were also there to help raise money to support Ukrainian and Syrian relief efforts, including Diplo, Sofia Carson, DJ Cruz, Jamie Foxx, Vanessa Hudgens, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jared Leto and Haim, ultimately raising around eight million euros.“You know what this reminds me of? This reminds me of when I was a little girl in the Bronx,” Jennifer said while onstage.