'I blame myself': Edward Zwick opens up on the failure of Tom Cruise-starrer 'Jack Reacher: Never Go Back'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Edward Zwick released his new memoir in which he opened up about various subjects, including the debacle of 'Jack Reacher: Never Go Back.'
In his 'Hits, Flops, and Other Illusions: My Fortysomething Years in Hollywood' memoir, the writer-director, while talking about Matthew Broderick’s 'Glory', said, “I have forgiven him long ago. But I felt that if I was going to write an authentic book, that I was obliged to tell the whole truth, about myself as well at times, in a less favorable light.”
“And this was one of those moments. The irony, of course, is he then went on and did wonderful work in the movie, and the movie has endured,” he added.
Edward Zwick defends Tom Cruise on 'Jack Reacher: Never Go Back' failure
Zwick took the responsibility for 'Jack Reacher: Never Go Back' failure saying, “I blame myself (and my willing accomplice, Don Granger) for thinking the audience might enjoy a mash-up of ‘Jack Reacher’ and ‘Paper Moon’ when in fact they just wanted more red meat.”
“I had a wonderful time working with Cobie Smulders, and I certainly don’t blame Tom for not being six two — as the novelist Lee Child described his protagonist — and should Tom happen to call about making a third movie together, I’ll definitely pick up,” he added.
Zwick and Cruise had previously collaborated on the 2003 film 'The Last Samurai.'
Edward Zwick on working with Woody Allen
On starting as a PA for legend Woody Allen, Zwick reflected, “I was 21 years old. I knew nothing about being on a set. All I knew was my absolute adoration of movies, but I never felt that that would be, available to me, because I’d never been that kid carrying around a Bolex and shooting little pieces of 'Super 8.' I was a theater kid. I was always directing plays and working in the theater.”
The filmmaker also answered the WPR on the impact Marshall Herskovitz had on his career. “There are certain people that you encounter at different moments of your life that mark you. And those relationships didn’t happen to me in college. It just started to happen to me when I came here.”
“Obviously, it was based on admiration. He was hugely talented already. Way ahead of where I was. Very kind. We had a lot in common. We talked about our families,” he added.
