Top 100 Most Anticipated Films of 2012: #19. Walter Salles’ On the Road

#19. On the Road

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

The Gist: Based on Beat Generation author Jack Kerouac’s bestselling cult novel, scripted by Jose Rivera, this is 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, traveling 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…: Cult novel, an epic 30 plus years for Coppola to bring this to the big screen, a talented filmmaker whose best films are those about personal search/quests (Central Station and The Motorcycle Diaries), A grade ensemble and one of the better cinematographers in Eric Gauthier should make for a brilliant film.

Release Date/Status?: We were thinking this might be ready for 2011 (#26 in our top 100), we expect a huge red carpet (first Monday of the festival) showing for this heavyweight film, followed by huge North American display at a fall festival. Price tag for the film should be a hefty one for Fox, Focus or the Weinsteins.