Matt Damon says he’s determined to make a follow-up to the 1998 cult poker film “Rounders.” Talking on the “Wealthy Eisen Present” this week, the Hollywood star mentioned that a lot has occurred within the poker world over the quarter century for the reason that first film, it’s screaming out for a sequel.
Matt Damon, above, says it’s excessive time for a “Rounders” sequel, and lots of the individuals who had been behind the unique film suppose so too. (Picture: Shutterstock)
What’s extra, a lot of these concerned in making the unique are on board with the thought, together with Damon’s co-star Edward Norton.
“The one we’ve been speaking about for years, and we’re attempting to do — and I simply noticed Edward Norton a number of weeks in the past … like, all of us need to do it — is a second “Rounders” film,” Damon mentioned. “A lot has occurred within the poker world within the final 25 years, it might be enjoyable to meet up with these guys.”
When the Flop Hits You
“Rounders” was initially a box-office flop, pulled from theaters by Miramax after simply three weeks, nevertheless it later gained a cult following on DVD. Together with the invention of the hole-card cam, the arrival of on-line poker, and newbie qualifier Chris Moneymaker’s shock 2003 World Sequence of Poker victory, the film is credited with kickstarting the “poker growth” within the 2000s.
The movie follows the adventures of Mike McDermott (Damon) and his degenerate hustler pal “Worm” (Norton). Mike is torn between two worlds, the seedy demi-monde of the underground New York poker scene and the “regular” life he’s attempting to dwell as a good legislation scholar together with his girlfriend Jo (Gretchen Mol).
Mike fantasizes about revenge in opposition to a Russian gangster, who takes him for his whole bankroll firstly of the film. The gangster, “Teddy KGB,” is performed with hammy, sinister relish by the Oreo cookie-munching John Malkovich.
Worm comes again into Mike’s life after being launched from jail and confides he owes cash to some unhealthy folks. So the 2 hit the tables in a bid to repay the debt, resulting in a ultimate showdown with TeddyKGB. In the end, Mike rejects the thought of a traditional life, chooses poker, and heads to Vegas to hunt his fortune.
Authorized Hurdles
Damon says plans for a sequel are nonetheless tied up in authorized wrangling, however he believes this may be overcome.
“You must work out the chain of title, who owns it — and all people’s bought their palms within the pot,” he mentioned.
We have now to determine a deal that is smart for everyone, notably the people who find themselves going to make the film – that’s the artists’ fairness, that’s who we care about, the solid and crew. And so, we’re attempting to determine that out as a result of I feel we’d all like to try this.”
Damon added that “Rounders” writers David Levien and Brian Koppelman had a script for a sequel prepared round 10 years in the past, which he described as “implausible” and “a film able to go,” nevertheless it by no means bought off the bottom.
“Now there’s been one other entire change within the poker world since then … I’m certain they may increase and roll with the instances and replace [the script] to the place we’re at present and make one thing nice,” Damon mentioned.
