Top 100 Most Anticipated Films of 2011: Walter Salles’ On the Road

#26. On the Road

Director: Walter Salles
Writer(s): Jose Rivera
Producers: Charles Gillibert, Nathanaël Karmitz and Rebecca Yeldham
Distributor: Rights Available.

The Gist: Based on Beat Generation author Jack Kerouac’s bestselling cult novel, set in New York, the late 1940’s. After his father’s death, Sal Paradise (Sam Riley), an aspiring 24-year old writer, meets Dean Moriarty (Garrett Hedlund), a 20-year old ex-jailbird with flexible morals and a devastating charm. Dean is fascinated by Sal’s obsession with writing; Sal is fascinated by Dean’s unfettered freedom. They spend their intense, alcohol-fueled nights dreaming of another world, forming a friendship that will take them on the road across the USA. After a stay at Bull Lee’s place in Louisiana, Sal, Dean and his beautiful young wife Marylou (Kristen Stewart) form a merry threesome, travelling naked and freely enjoying themselves, a suspended moment in time.….(more)

Cast: Sam Riley, Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Kirsten Dunst, Tom Sturridge, Viggo Mortensen, Amy Adams, Alice Braga, Steve Buscemi, Danny Morgan, Giovanna Zacarías, Elisabeth Moss, Terrence Howard

List Worthy Reasons…: The project has been kicking around for almost as long as I’ve lived. If there is one film that deserves to be on this list its’ this one. You’ve got classic cult book from legend writer + great young cast + Central Station and The Motorcycle Diaries filmmaker + a making of story that lasted 30 years + Francis Ford Coppola keeping the dream project alive + Americana + the secret ingredient: cinematographer Eric Gauthier who has worked with Resnais, Arnaud Desplechin and Olivier Assayas.

Release Date/Status?: Huge red-carpet event in Cannes. MK2 could fetch north of 10 million from a potential art-house distributor in North America (Fox, Focus and Weinsteins are saving their pennies). Fall premiere in time for Oscar season.