First Look at George Clooney in Brad Bird's TOMORROWLAND and Details
Disney has finally released some official images from director Brad Bird's highly anticipated sci-fi film Tomorrowland. USA Today has two photos from the movie giving us our first look at George Clooney and actress Britt Robertson (Under the Dome). There is also a piece of concept art showing us what the world of the film looks like.
Bird and screenwriter David LIndelof also talk about the film and offer up a few details on what the story entails and what we can expect to see. Bird starts off by saying,
“We begin our movie asking what did [the future] used to be? What’s good about the future and what’s scary about it? And we wrestle with those things in a slightly mythical way.”
The report goes on to say that the story centers a "Florida girl who dreams of the future while watching the launchpads of Cape Canaveral being disassembled goes exploring one day and, after landing in a bit of trouble, finds herself in possession of a mysterious pin. Touching it reveals a vision of a place that may not be a different world but simply a better one. Then it’s gone, and the quest to discover the real Tomorrowland begins."
The story was inspired by Disneyland’s futuristic attraction, but the film also suggests that Walt Disney may have stolen the idea when he caught sight of this futuristic place. Lindelof explains,
“What Hogwarts is to magic, Tomorrowland is to science: They are both easy to find if you are a wizard and very difficult to find if you’re a Muggle. Walt Disney is not a character in our movie, but he is referenced as having some involvement in this mysterious place called Tomorrowland, as a huge futurist and aficionado of space travel, rocketry, cities of the future, and space travel.”
I absolutely love this concept! It takes the story to a whole new level of magic. the writer goes on to discuss the young hero of the story, Casey Newton, explaining, “You would think the younger you are the easier it is to be an optimist, but you are being fed a steady diet of dystopia." In regards to the character witnessing the end of NASA he continues saying, "It’s closed for business. There are no launches anymore. But she still holds a candle, she still believes in this amazing future, that things can be better.”
Lindelof doesn't stop there. He offers up even more information about the story, and what helps spark the adventure.
“There is a piece of technology in this pin, it’s the kind of old-school pin you would wear on your lapel, and when you make physical contact with it, you have the illusion of being physically transported to another world, and that’s how Casey gets her first glimpse of Tomorrowland. She is a Muggle who accidentally wanders across Platform 9 ¾ and sees something she probably shouldn’t have.”
Bird explains this little piece of technology further, saying, “At first when she experiences this thing, she’s not sure if it’s real or not. It’s kind of like being hit by a dream and not sure whether the dream was a dream or real.” This all leads her to to a man named Frank Walker, who is being played by Clooney. The character is described as a "hermit and failed inventor who knows more about Tomorrowland than he wants to tell."
Frank was a boy genius, who over the years turned into a bitter and jaded man. Apparently, part of Casey's journey to find Tomorrowland requires her to uncover the part of Frank that is still full of optimism. Bird explains why he cast Clooney in this role,
“There’s something about George. You can see the wheels turning in his eyes, and he reads as somebody who is very principled. He seems like a very pragmatic guy who also dreams, but he’s not flighty. There’s an integrity to him that you feel.”
I'm extremely excited about this movie. It sounds like it's going to be something really special, and I can't wait to see the first footage from it. The film will have a presence at NYCC, so it would be great if they showed some footage and released it online during that event.