Whedonesque : Comments on 12140 : Two more drivers take the wheel.

How expensive is it, exactly, to recast nearly all the actors from a pilot and then reshoot (to whatever extent) that pilot?

theonetruebix | December 29, 00:58 CET

I know it's usually kept on the hush hush, but does anyone know if a copy of the pilot has somehow managed to leak onto the internet? I'd like to see what the show would've been like without the new stars behind it.

BlindHawkeyes | December 29, 01:14 CET

I was hoping that Alan Ruck would stay on. That guy is an awesome character actor.

delirium_haze | December 29, 01:32 CET

Agree about Alan Ruck, that's a damn shame. I was excited to see him in a non-Bill Lawrence show.

I haven't seen the pilot and this is just a random thought, but I'd love to see Jay August Richards on this show. I have no idea why, I just think it would work.

The Sandy Llama | December 29, 01:38 CET

theonetruebix, it's not that rare to re-cast and re-shoot pilots, really (particularly because the actors aren't on contract), but nets throw so so much money at dozens of pilots that never are picked up (not to mention dozens more that are paid for and never even shot) that the cost for the one episode is negligible compared to the amount of dough they've dropped out the window this week. If the show doesn't get good ratings, however, they'll scream "expensive."

So bummed to see Ruck out of the lineup, too. I hope it was a scheduling conflict because who wouldn't want to keep him around!?! Either that or Fox desired to recast the role as a 21 year old.

mosie | December 29, 01:54 CET

I can not but help myself to join the chorus decrying the loss of Alan Ruck. (I just today watched 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' for the first time in years. What a hoot! He played his part note-perfect!) A quick IMDB search shows he is apparently quite busy with four feature films scheduled for release in 2007. Good for him - I hope the parts are large and loud!

napua | December 29, 02:08 CET

No Alan Ruck??? BOOO! Never heard of these other guys.

Dirk, I would *love* JAR to be in Drive!!! Miss that guy so much.

Harmalicious | December 29, 02:14 CET

I know it's usually kept on the hush hush, but does anyone know if a copy of the pilot has somehow managed to leak onto the internet? I'd like to see what the show would've been like without the new stars behind it.

Tim will probably include the original version on the DVD-set for us if we ask him nicely.

Yes, I'm assuming there will be a DVD-set. Wanna make something of it?

Shame about Alan Ruck, but glad to hear Taryn Manning might stick around even after being recast.

Niels(Telltale) | December 29, 02:33 CET

*sigh* Adam Baldwin is between Jobs right now...

TDBrown | December 29, 03:35 CET

Remember, Willow and Inara were both different people in the beginning, and an entire pilot was shot with a different Willow.

C. A. Bridges | December 29, 03:46 CET

Well, if I recall right, that original Buffy pilot was more of a pilotette anyway. Not very long. In this case, we seem to be watching an almost wholesale showwide recasting.

theonetruebix | December 29, 03:48 CET

I'm thinking these changes going on are a good thing, making the show more in line with what the producers want and such? It seemed to work for Brothers and Sisters, at least...

Talkback | December 29, 06:09 CET

Alan Ruck kinda rules. I met him at the 'Twister' party, where I got to explain that I'd written all his dialogue for his last two movies (that and 'Speed') and thank him for being so damn good. (And I always thought 'Ferris Bueller' would have been bearable if Alan had ended up with Mia.) So boo with a side of hoo.

But at least they had the sense to keep Mel. And add that other guy, whatshisname from the pizza place show.

joss | December 29, 06:27 CET

Alan and Joss played Twister?

delirium_haze | December 29, 06:42 CET

I had been hoping Mia would end up with Ben Stein, myself, but hey. I'm flexible.

C. A. Bridges | December 29, 06:44 CET

An agonizingly-irrelevant reference to the wrong "Mia"! Argh.

Hrm. That sounded far snottier than intended.

[ edited by theonetruebix on 2006-12-29 08:10 ]

theonetruebix | December 29, 06:59 CET

And add that other guy, whatshisname from the pizza place show.

Ryan Reynolds is in Drive? ;-)

(BTW, 'sup, Joss! Happy New Year, dude!)

But wait. If Taryn Manning is Jewel, and Jewel is the Doctor (on Stargate Atlantis), then does this mean Ben is Glory? ;-)

billz | December 29, 07:28 CET

Alan Ruck's performance was one of the best parts of the clip I saw from the original pilot, so bummer. It's good to hear that he's keeping busy, though.

dreamlogic | December 29, 07:31 CET

Alan Ruck's performance was one of the best parts of the clip I saw from the original pilot, so bummer.

Yeah, there was definitely a sort of ooh-like buzz amongst the crowd watching the clip at B3 when Ruck came on-screen.

(Good lord, can I stop posting comments that I have to go back and edit?)

[ edited by theonetruebix on 2006-12-29 08:43 ]

theonetruebix | December 29, 07:41 CET

bix got George Lucas syndrome.

delirium_haze | December 29, 08:09 CET

Oh, now that's just low.

theonetruebix | December 29, 08:12 CET

Greedo was asking for it, that all I have to say about that.

delirium_haze | December 29, 08:16 CET

Joss, could you help SangChaud with her SAG membership? That's all she needs to play a role opposite Alan Ruck in the Ferris Bueller remake. And then could you help her with gossi so she can play a role at Goners? Thanks, Joss. Hi billz!

jaynelovesvera | December 29, 09:38 CET

janelovesvera, your requests are inappropriate, yet lovable. Welcome back! Or if you've already been back, club me on the head for not noticing.

dreamlogic | December 29, 09:54 CET

Wait, I'm casting Goners now? Well, at least it isn't Wonder Woman.

There's, like, a lot of recasting going on with Drive. 11 parts so far. I'm wondering if the studio has cocked up the cast contracts, or something.

gossi | December 29, 10:23 CET

Hey, jlv, 'sup! Happy holidays, dude! :-)

Very exciting to know that Joss is working on Ferris Bueller while WW is still going through whatever movie studios do with scripts. (Perhaps Morgan Freeman can play Ben Stein in the new FB while he's working on his twirling and lassoing?) Not only should SangChaud star in FB, but IMO she should also get one of those 11 Drive roles. But not Melanie Lynskey's part. Hey, if Joss has her back, so do I. ;-)

billz | December 29, 11:48 CET

This reminds me of George Washington's Axe - you know, the one he chopped down the cherry tree with. It's been passed down through my family for generations. Of course, my ancestors did replace the handle, and then the head. But it is still his axe!

(And for you young 'uns, this is a very old - and very tired - joke.)

Drive on, Tim. Let us along for the ride. Whoooo!

napua | December 29, 12:19 CET

Alan Ruck rules - I never met him, but whenever I see him in a role he never fails to delight. Add me to the "Disappointed Alan is not in Drive list" but I am also on the "Estatic Nathan is in Drive list"

Passion | December 29, 14:11 CET

Awww Joss...you get to meet all the cool kids!

nixygirl | December 29, 15:26 CET

I luv Alan Ruck. He made Ferris Bueller for me. Him and Jeffrey Jones (whose name I can barely utter without wincing now). Ruck should definitely be cast in Goners or Wonder Woman to make up for his absence from Drive. pleeeeese.

Tonya J | December 29, 15:27 CET

Am I really the ONLY person who misread the original post:

Fillion is just the first of many roles in the process of being recast for "Drive".

as saying Nathan Fillion was being replaced/recast??? Are my english skills that bad???

I was really upset for a smidge there. Yes really!

I'm a fangirl, hush.

leenah | December 29, 16:41 CET

So as a lowly UK fangirl without Sky or cable, how long before I get the chance to see it? I'm missing my captain!

tigerlily | December 29, 18:08 CET

So as a lowly UK fangirl without Sky or cable, how long before I get the chance to see it? I'm missing my captain!

Hey, at least London is the location of his "super-secret thingy" sometime around February.

theonetruebix | December 29, 19:11 CET

Wait, I'm casting Goners now? Well, at least it isn't Wonder Woman.

Gossi, not a role for SangChaud IN Goners. A role(membership) AT Goners (your site). Remember? She's been waiting patiently for six weeks since you said you'd add her. I was reluctant to try to get your attention here, but other means of attempted communication by myself and others have gone unanswered.

jaynelovesvera | December 29, 19:31 CET

So as a lowly UK fangirl without Sky or cable, how long before I get the chance to see it? I'm missing my captain!

Unknown. Hopefully it'll hit big, and Channel 4 will pick it up.

jlv - registration open again.

gossi | December 29, 20:28 CET

dreamlogic: "janelovesvera, your requests are inappropriate, yet lovable."

dl, I laughed, I cried, I thought how precisely you have hit that nail on its head!

QuoterGal | December 29, 21:04 CET

Hey! I'm in (at) Goners--aaaannnd I'm in the Ferris Bueller remake, too? Life is sweet! Gosh, Joss/gossi, you shouldn't have (which I'm sure you're well aware of)!

*Waves at QG, jlv, Pointy, Cabri (can I call you that?), gossi, and, of course, ~~The Master~~ that Josh Sweden fella.* Hi, there! And thanks to all the above-mentioned terrific peeps as well as TPTB for getting me in at (on?) Goners!!

Happy (belated) Christmas, Merry New Year and God bless us every one!

Sorry if some of this is OT. I'm just such a happy camper and had to say it all.

SangChaud | December 29, 21:42 CET

hmmm as long as Nathan stays IN Drive, I will be happy. Although it is sad that alan ruck is not ther I loved him in Ferris and Spin City(Is it spin city... I think the one with michael J fox).

OH and hey jayneslovevera happy holidays and happy new year! *waves*

kurya | December 29, 22:09 CET

Hey, billz! Thanks for the ~~nomination~~ suggestion about a rôle in Drive as well as FB's remake. Of course, I have no illusions about why; I'm sure it's your absolute respect for and admiration of jlv which prompted it. Still, I'll take what I can get!

Now, does anybody know where I can ~~highjack~~ get a SAG card?

And hey, jlv, you've really been missed. Take a look at all the people waving at you!

SangChaud | December 29, 22:52 CET

Well, it's true, SangChaud, I haven't personally seen your acting, but I bet you rock based on the recommendation of my close personal friend jlv! As for the SAG card (that's the actor's union, right?), I think you need to get on those Lost peeps to do something about it! ;-)

billz | December 30, 00:37 CET

gossi, I'm casting Wonder Woman, so there's no need to worry. (At least, that's what my inbox believes.) I have thought at times of compiling my incredible Wonder Woman emails and sharing them with the world (names deleted to protect the innocent, etc), because some of them are incredibly hilarious (like hitting a man with a closed fist). But then I decide against it because that's mean-spirited.

Re: the wrong Mia - perhaps this is a clue that Goners is actually about Sloane Peterson! (She's a young woman who deals with some stuff. Isn't that what the main character of Goners is? And surely there's SOMETHING supernatural in Ferris Bueller's Day Off...)

Sorry I have this thing. Ferris Bueller's Day Off is kind of my favorite movie ever. EVER. I have Sloane hair!

ETA: You all are evil. I'm now pondering Joss Whedon's Ferris Bueller's Day Off and what it would be like. So far all I've got is that the title needs to change to Sloane Peterson's Day Off, or possibly Jeannie Bueller's Half Day Off.

[ edited by Kiba on 2006-12-30 03:31 ]

Kiba | December 30, 02:24 CET

REDLAVA over on http://www.fireflyfans.net found this article

So here is another take on the hollywoodreporter article:
http://www.zap2it.com/tv/news/zap-kevinalejandromirceamonroedrivecasting,0,245601.story

Fillion Races Against Two Actors With 'Drive'

Anonymous1 | December 30, 07:08 CET

Kevin Alejandro was good in Sleeper Cell.

Odysseus | December 30, 10:56 CET

From the zap2it article:

Fillion was last seen in the Sci Fi Channel's "The Lost Room" miniseries

Er, I watched the whole 6 hours (unless there were a few hours that I didn't know about), and I saw no Nathan in The Lost Room. Keys and watch boxes and pens and glass eyes, yes, but no Captain. So, let me sum up this bit from the article by saying, huh?

billz | December 30, 16:06 CET

Kiba, I've actually had two Wonder Woman attempted auditions by email, too. They used the Goners website. One had photos, a motto and - yes - a video.

gossi | December 30, 20:48 CET

We've had 70+ of those in the Whedonesque inbox.

One day we'll build www.areyouhavinalaugh.com and publish all the letters, resumes and pictures.

Caroline | December 30, 21:14 CET

Hahahaah that's hilarious!

Hey...why has no one sent auditions to me???

nixygirl | December 31, 00:08 CET

Hey...why has no one sent auditions to me???

Yeah, where are my Goners auditions?

theonetruebix | December 31, 00:21 CET

So, I suppose you're saying that you didn't like my audition video, either? And I thought that you would have been impressed that I actually built a life-sized invisible plane out of cling-wrap. Sheesh, you're such perfectionists! *leaves disgustedly* ;-)

billz | December 31, 03:55 CET

But ... did you wear a speedo? Nudity is very important! Or so I've heard.

Tonya J | December 31, 04:08 CET

See, Tonya J, that's what I told the arresting officers about nudity, but they didn't seem to agree. ;-)

billz | December 31, 20:36 CET

"Now, does anybody know where I can ~~highjack~~ get a SAG card?"

Hmmm. I've got a SAG card SangChaud but last I heard the union frowned on sharing. Maybe we could work out a disguise or something so that we could both do the role without anyone noticing...

Like everyone else, yea, for Nathan Fillion having a series. Yea, Tim Minear's show looks like it will hit our screens. Too bad no Alan Ruck.

Did I mention that my first thought was also that Joss and Alan Ruck were going to parties where they played twister? I can't remember what I've actually written lately, and what I have only thought about writing. I need a break

newcj | January 01, 00:34 CET

Sharing sounds good to me, newcj! Ditto disguises. And my first thought about Joss and Alan Ruck was that they played twister, too. But then I remembered their connections to the movie by that name. It just takes a considerable while for my synapses to fire most days (hours, sometimes!).

Thanks for the SAG card stuff, newcj, and Happy New Year!

SangChaud | January 01, 21:39 CET

December 29 2006