I have given up, for now, on gathering any kind of intel on Terrence Malick’s “The Last Planet.” A major film Festival boss recently confided that there is a “big circle of silence” going on with the film.
“The Last Planet” wrapped production in Rome back in mid-2019, and if it weren’t for the fact Malick is known for his lengthy post-production rituals, then you’d think something was very wrong with the film.
Between 2015 and 2019, Malick had released 4 movies in 5 years (“Song to Song,” “Knight of Cups,” “Voyage of Time,” and “A Hidden Life.”) It seems as though Malick is just taking his sweet, sweet time with this one, trying to find the perfect mood and mold for his latest creation. All the better for it.
If “The Last Planet” isn’t released this year then it will be more than three years since “A Hidden Life” world premiered at Cannes. Again, this is not a discouraging sign, in the past, Malick spending years in the editing room has resulted in some of his best films.
I had reported earlier in the year that Cannes Boss Thierry Fremaux and Malick had been having sporadic conversations here and there about a possible Cannes premiere for “The Last Planet.” Nothing seems to have materialized from them, but both men remain friendly and talkative. Who knows, maybe Fremaux will get a call from Malick at the very last minute and add it to his 2022 lineup.
“The Way of the Wind” will reportedly convey passages “in the life of Christ” through representing evangelical parables. The First Image from Terrence Malick's Biblical-Drama was released two years ago. The cast includes the likes of Matthias Schoenaerts (as Saint Peter), Géza Röhrig (as Jesus), Ben Kingsley, Joseph Fiennes, and Mark Rylance (as Satan).
Edward Berger seems to have settled on what comes next. His Lance Armstrong biopic, starring Austin Butler, is now holding casting calls, with production eyed for January.