When a film is delayed there are two main ways for the studio to handle the wait. They can take the approach of Gangster Squad and continue to release promotional items in an effort to build interest and anticipation, or they can take the approach that The Great Gatsby has and do next to nothing, so as to let all the hype that was built drain away.
Today, in a slight effort to remind people that there is indeed a new movie coming out based on the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, Warner Bros. has released the above picture as a new still from the film. As you can see, it really isn’t all that exciting as it simply shows Carey Mulligan and Leonardo DiCaprio staring longingly into each other’s eyes, looking like beautiful people usually do.
At least it’s a step in the right direction, and there is still ample time for the film to crank up the promotional intensity and again get people excited. Perhaps Baz Luhrmann can take a break from his fundraising for re-shoots and figure out some way to re-hype his film.
One of the stars, Jason Clarke, is determined to not let the excitement die down. He recently told Indiewire just how awesome the film is going to be. Check out his comment below.
“It’s extraordinary. Baz is a complete filmmaker. It’s in 3D and I have never seen anything like this in 3D. F*ck, you remember the detail in ‘Moulin Rouge!’? It’s not just like boom, boom, boom – the lampshades, everything is coming out…The furniture and everything is built for 3D. That’s the level he’s coming at you with.”
Most fans of the original trailer thought the film was going to be perfect for 3D, and if there’s one thing Luhrmann has shown in the past, it’s that he can turn a story into a spectacle, which should translate quite well to that medium. Hopefully Clarke isn’t exaggerating about how good the film looks.
I was a huge fan of the trailer, and the film was one of my must-see flicks of the year before it was pushed. However, delays do nothing to increase confidence in a film, and the fact that we’ve seen almost nothing new has me extremely apprehensive.
The Great Gatsby hits theaters May 10, 2013.
Are you still holding out any hope for The Great Gatsby? Take another look at the still and then head to the comments section to share your thoughts.