Robert De Niro reveals future film plans

Robert De Niro has revealed that he is planning two sequels for ”The Good Shepherd,” his CIA drama.The original, which starred Matt Damon as a spy in the Cold War, grossed under $100 million in 2006.

Although the first was not a box office success, De Niro confirmed he is developing ideas for a second and third film.

He would like to make two sequels to CIA Cold War drama ”The Good Shepherd,” one bringing the action forward from 1961 to 1989, the other following its hero, Edward Wilson (Matt Damon), up to the present day.

Robert De Niro received a lifetime achievement award at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival on Friday, where his ”What Just Happened?” opened the festival, and discussed his plans for the future:

His long collaboration with Martin Scorsese which he ascribed to the fact it’s always been “a lot of fun to work” together should produce at least two more films, De Niro said.

He is already working on his next project with Scorsese, which he declined to detail, which should be ready by 2009, he said.

De Niro said he was “superstitious about talking about it.”

Speaking at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival last week, De Niro told that he may begin researching the projects while he is in Europe.

Talking about his co-star, Bruce Willis in his new film ”What Just Happened” he said:

“[He] had a real good sense of humour about himself.”

De Niro added his views to the debate over a possible strike by actors in Hollywood, coming down firmly against any work stoppage. He has opposed strike action over US film and television actors’ pay.

The Screen Actors Guild and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have yet to agree terms, with new media work a particular sticking point, despite a previous contract expiring at the end of last month.

“I do not think it is a good time to be striking,” said De Niro. “All the trade unions are affected by the strike. With the economy as it is at this time, it does not seem to be a great idea.”

Actors Contract Expires; No Strike In Sight

The Screen Actors Guild Tuesday all but dismissed a ‘last and final offer’ from TV and movie producers presented just before the existing work contract governing its 120,000 members expired at 0701 GMT.The Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) said its proposal offered the 120,000 members of the industry’s largest acting union the same terms that it reached with the Writers Guild of America (WGA), the Directors Guild of America (DGA), and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), a smaller actors union.

The new deal offered actors up to 250 million dollars in additional earnings, according to an AMPTP statement, which also said that the movie and TV studios would refrain from locking out the actors while the union considers the offer. Read the rest of this entry