http://www.zap2it.com/movies/news/zap-cageuntouchablesprequelrumor,0,7010699.story?coll=zap-news-hea dlines
DePalma Wants Cage for 'Untouchables' Prequel
'Snake Eyes' duo would reteam for Al Capone tale
By Daniel Fienberg
September 7 2006
Nicolas Cage
With his latest film, "The Black Dahlia," ready to hit theaters, Brian DePalma is already set to move on to his next project, a prequel to his 1987 Oscar winner "The Untouchables."
"The Untouchables," based on a script by David Mamet, stands as one of DePalma's most successful films, taking in more than $75 million domestically and kickstarting the careers of Kevin Costner and Andy Garcia. The movie delivered four Academy Award nominations, with a trophy for best supporting actor going to Sean Connery. So why would the maverick director want to revisit the territory?
"Well, because my producer was working on this idea while I was [on the 'Dahlia' set in Sofia, Bulgaria] and it was basically about the rise of Al Capone and his relationship with the Sean Connery character before Eliot Ness and we came up with a very good script and that's why," DePalma responds.
The director knows that as was the case with the first film, casting will be central to the tentatively titled "The Untouchables: Capone Rising."
"We're thinking we can maybe get Nic Cage to play Al Capone and we've got to get a young Sean Connery," he says.
Cage and DePalma previously worked together on the twisty 1998 thriller "Snake Eyes." The "Femme Fatale" helmer says that they've had active conversations about the part, which would seem to undermine Internet rumors suggesting that the project's focus would be on an even younger version of the famous Chicago gangster.
And who would constitute a young Sean Connery?
"I don't know," DePalma says with a smile. "You got any suggestions?"
Naturally one of the assembled reporters throws out the name of Colin Farrell, who has become every auteur's favorite miscast Irishman in recent years. The mention of Farrell's name causes DePalma to pause.
"Wonderful actor," he says. "Can't wait to meet him."
Take that as you will.
"The Black Dahlia" opens on Friday, Sept. 15.
