# "Confederacy of Dunces" film on indefinite hold **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 29, 2005, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederacy-of-dunces-film-on-indefinite-hold/296827 "2005-03-29T20:25:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederacy-of-dunces-film-on-indefinite-hold/296827/1 "2005-03-29T20:25:04Z")
see this link: [http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/film/feature\_display.jsp?vnu\_content\_id=1000856641](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/film/feature_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000856641) As a long-time fan of the book, I can’t say I’m too disappointed. Wasn’t Will Ferrell supposed to be playing the inimitable Ignatius Reilly? Sorry, that just wasn’t meant to be. ---
**Author:** ![Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9dc877/32.png) [@Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightwatch_Trailer)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederacy-of-dunces-film-on-indefinite-hold/296827/2 "2005-03-29T20:48:43Z")
IMDb used to have an entry for it, but it seems to be gone now. All I can say is THANK THE GODS. I generally liked the book (not a big fan, though), but the projected lineup for the movie was maybe the worst cast I’ve ever seen. Will Ferrell is bad enough, but I think Drew Barrymore was also cast (as Darlene?). Horrible, horrible choices. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederacy-of-dunces-film-on-indefinite-hold/296827/3 "2005-03-29T22:29:40Z")
Wouldn’t it be cool if Tom Hanks gained 300 pounds to play the role? ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederacy-of-dunces-film-on-indefinite-hold/296827/4 "2005-03-29T23:39:46Z")
> [@laina\_f](#): > > Wouldn’t it be cool if Tom Hanks gained 300 pounds to play the role? Particularly if he dropped dead from a coronary the first day of shooting. I though Drew was supposed to play Myrna? Which I could live with. But Will Farell??? I had heard Philip Seymour Hoffman. Why, unless he was stupid enough to refuse, would you consider anyone else for a role he was born to play? (And there aren’t many people born to play Ignatius Reilly…and Will Farell is not amoung them.) ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Scene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bob\_Scene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Scene)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederacy-of-dunces-film-on-indefinite-hold/296827/5 "2005-03-29T23:52:41Z")
I was disappointed when I first heard it had been canceled on the IMDB, but when I thought about it, I decided it was a good thing because if it does get made now, at least it won’t star Will Ferrell and Drew Barrymore. I seriously believe that I could do a better job playing Ignatius than Will Ferrell could. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederacy-of-dunces-film-on-indefinite-hold/296827/6 "2005-03-30T00:06:07Z")
I try not to mention Will Ferrell in writing. Amongst my friends it is customary to turn your head and pretend to spit on the ground when mentioning him. “Hey did you see the new Will Ferrell **ppptt** movie? It’s crap too.” So how do you spell spitting? ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederacy-of-dunces-film-on-indefinite-hold/296827/7 "2005-03-30T04:35:40Z")
Thank God. ---
**Author:** ![beckwall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b487fb/32.png) [@beckwall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beckwall)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederacy-of-dunces-film-on-indefinite-hold/296827/8 "2005-03-30T04:49:22Z")
What a wonderful book. I hadn’t heard of the Will Ferrell part. Jeez, what a nightmare that would have been. I’m waiting to hear on the final casting for _Running with Scissors_. I thought I heard the name Julia Roberts bandied about, and of course I screamed in horror. Another great book, hopefully a good movie experience as well. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederacy-of-dunces-film-on-indefinite-hold/296827/9 "2005-03-30T05:31:25Z")
> [@well he's back](#): > > see this link: > [http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/film/feature\_display.jsp?vnu\_content\_id=1000856641](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/film/feature_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000856641) > > As a long-time fan of the book, I can’t say I’m too disappointed. Wasn’t Will Ferrell supposed to be playing the inimitable Ignatius Reilly? Sorry, that just wasn’t meant to be. The role of Ignatius J. Reilly requires a really special actor. I can’t think of anyone today who could do the role justice. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2005, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederacy-of-dunces-film-on-indefinite-hold/296827/10 "2005-04-04T02:30:49Z")
Another sacrifice of lilacs and virgin oils to Fortuna for the cancellation of this project. (There seems to be a curse to this movie; both Belushi and John Candy were “verbally signed” to the role and then dropped dead.) Re: _Running With Scissors_, [the cast is announced](http://imdb.com/title/tt0439289/). The [lead actor](http://imdb.com/name/nm0189200/) is 18 but, if the picture is recent, can pass for 13; when I read it was going to be a movie I was wondering how they would do the sex scenes since Augusten was way below the limit of minor. (I posted an ignored thread with on the book [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=240109&highlight=turcotte) if you’re interested; it includes links to the homepages of Augusten’s mother, the _real_ Dr. Finch, etc. and others.) ---
**Author:** ![Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chance_the_Gardener)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2005, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederacy-of-dunces-film-on-indefinite-hold/296827/11 "2005-04-04T05:32:42Z")
> [@Oslo Ostragoth](#): > > The role of Ignatius J. Reilly requires a really special actor. I can’t think of anyone today who could do the role justice. I’ve thought about this, and for a while I figured the best actor would probably be an unknown, since I couldn’t think of any fat guys who would be able to do the role justice. Then I thought of David Higgins, who plays Craig Feldspar on _Malcolm in the Middle_. I doubt Hollywood would pluck a character from the supporting cast of a TV show for a star role in a feature film, but I think he’d do a good job. His character on _Malcolm_ reminds me of Ignatius. Have a look: [http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/PersonDetail/personid-48079](http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/PersonDetail/personid-48079) By extension, I figured Mila Kunis would be a good Myrna. She plays the self-absorbed Jackie on _That '70s Show_, so Myrna wouldn’t be too much of a stretch. Further, she’s such a small person that when she and Ignatius meet, the comic effect would be enhanced. When I read the book, I imagined Myrna as a taller person, but thin enough to look ridiculous next to Ignatius. Anyway, I think those two would be good in those roles. I can’t place the rest of the cast, though I’ve mulled it over from time to time. I’ve read this book several times, and I have extremely vivid images of the characters in my head. Even putting Higgins and Kunis in the roles of Ignatius and Myrna clashes with my original vision, but that’s the way movies are made. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2005, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederacy-of-dunces-film-on-indefinite-hold/296827/12 "2005-04-04T15:28:31Z")
I’ve thought of supersize actor [Ethan](http://www.tvtome.com/images/people/37/2/1-13956-sm.jpg) [Supplee](http://film.onet.pl/_i/news/duze/e/ethan_suplee_1.jpg) (bka the coat recipient in _Cold Mountain_, probably, though he also played supporting roles in _American History X_ and _Butterfly Effect_). I used to think that [William Hickey](http://www.edgallardo.com/hickey.jpg) was a lock for the part of Claude (Ig’s mom’s boyfriend) but alas, he is no more (perhaps Christopher Lloyd would work). My other casting choices: Mrs. O’Reilly- Marion Ross Myrna Minkoff- Christina Ricci Darlene- Anna Nicole Smith Mona- Demi Moore Agent Mancuso- Joe Pesci Santa Battaglia- Lily Tomlin the-gay-guy-whose-name-eludes-me- Alexis Arquette ---
**Author:** ![TwoTrouts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@TwoTrouts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoTrouts)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2005, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederacy-of-dunces-film-on-indefinite-hold/296827/13 "2005-04-04T16:12:13Z")
Wow! I’m glad that they never proceeded to filming. My duodenum slams sut just thinking about Will Ferrel as the star! ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederacy-of-dunces-film-on-indefinite-hold/296827/14 "2005-04-04T18:40:43Z")
I’m thinking the film could actually work if adapted to the modern age. Igantius’s journals are easily blogs, and his correspondences with Myrna are voluminous e-mails. The factory owner’s wife I could see indulging herself in every New Age fad known to man. I don’t see the book being too dated for this time period. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2005, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederacy-of-dunces-film-on-indefinite-hold/296827/15 "2005-04-04T21:44:11Z")
Well I’ll take the counterpoint and say I’m really bummed out about this. The visual imagery of the book is so vivid it cries out to be made into a movie. But I agree it would be hard to cast Ignatius O’Reilly. You’d have to not limit yourself to actors who actually are fat and possibly go with someone in a fat suit. IMHO it would be a bad idea to modernize the story. Ignatius wouldn’t be a blogger, because he’s a medievalist who’s suspicious of anything invented after the 1600s. How could you modernize the idea of a man who dreads Greyhound Scenicruisers, and even the mere idea of them ‘hurtling through the night’? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2005, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederacy-of-dunces-film-on-indefinite-hold/296827/16 "2005-04-04T22:00:01Z")
Oh, and of course to the casting choices above, add Dave Chapelle as Burma Jones, Kelsey Grammer and Christine Baranski as the Levy’s, and Betty White as Miss Trixie. ---
**Author:** ![Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chance_the_Gardener)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confederacy-of-dunces-film-on-indefinite-hold/296827/17 "2005-04-05T00:24:52Z")
> [@Spectre of Pithecanthropus](#): > > Ignatius wouldn’t be a blogger, because he’s a medievalist who’s suspicious of anything invented after the 1600s. How could you modernize the idea of a man who dreads Greyhound Scenicruisers, and even the mere idea of them ‘hurtling through the night’? Maybe. But it would keep in sync with his character as long as he kept character and condemned the internet, using it as a way to convince others to stop using it, fashioning himself as a high and mighty critic of the corrupting influence of the web and its culture, immersing himself in it so that he could do a better job of destroying it. Absurd? Yes. But he had the same thought when he took the job at Levi Pants; likewise when he would go to see the trash that pollutes mankind at the movie houses, and corrupts them at home through _American Bandstand_. I wouldn’t say I’m in favor of modernizing Ignatius (though I guess I wouldn’t object to a different story based on him. He’s a great character!) I’d rather see the movie set circa 1960, just like the book—it works so well as it is. But a luddite blogger would be a good character for a book or a movie. If someone did a good job of it, I wouldn’t even mind if they borrowed heavily from _Confederacy_. As T.S. Eliot says: “Good poets borrow, great poets steal.” The same goes for novelists and screenwriters.