Over the weekend, a source tied to an indie distributor reached out to say that Netflix is still refusing to sell off “Gore,” the long-shelved biopic about writer Gore Vidal starring Kevin Spacey.
The film, directed by Michael Hoffman and based on Jay Parini’s “Empire of Self,” was deep in post-production in 2017 when Netflix pulled the plug. That decision came in the wake of multiple sexual misconduct allegations against Spacey. Netflix quickly cut ties, announcing it would not release the project due to “the serious nature of the allegations.”
The fallout was swift and wide-reaching. Netflix halted “House of Cards” production, later removing Spacey entirely. Ridley Scott famously replaced him with Christopher Plummer in “All the Money in the World.” As for “Gore,” the cancellation reportedly cost the streamer around $40 million.
Complicating matters further was the film’s content. BuzzFeed News had obtained a copy of the screenplay, which allegedly featured scenes where Vidal—played by Spacey—seduces younger men and manipulates them, drawing uncomfortable parallels with the real-life accusations that derailed Spacey’s career.
Still, there are those who haven’t given up hope. Michael Stuhlbarg, who played Vidal’s longtime partner Howard Austen, has called the shelving “heartbreaking,” adding that the film deals with “sensitive” material that deserves careful consideration.
But for now, “Gore” remains locked away. “Interest to acquire it does exist,” my source tells me. “But Netflix isn’t budging.”
You have to feel bad for the crew and actors who worked on the movie—they deserve to have their work seen. Hoffman, whose credits include “One Fine Day” and “The Last Station,” has directed only one other film since then. Someone really needs to nudge Netflix to release the damn thing—or at the very least, be open to buyers’ offers.
Criterion's December lineup has some great additions to the library, but the title that jumped out at me is Werner Herzog's "Grizzly Man," which officially joins the Collection on December 8.