At 84-years-old Clint Eastwood doesn't appear to be slowing down at all. He's basically just shot two films back to back in Jersey Boys and American Sniper, the latter becoming the top-grossing film of 2014 and earning a Best Picture nomination. It's just another accolade on a storied career, and at CinemaCon he was honored at a luncheon celebrating his contribution to film. But Eastwood being Eastwood, he also took the time to break a little news regarding the Richard Jewell biopic he's been attached to, and also to take a jab at liberal filmmaker Michael Moore.
Eastwood (via Deadline) revealed that he won't be directing the Richard Jewell film, which has Jonah Hill and Leonardo DiCaprio set to star. The director says he wants to take a few months off before jumping into another project, likely for Warner Bros.
Naturally, Eastwood was eventually began to speak about the success of American Sniper, and was asked a question about Michael Moore's reaction to the film. Moore had made a statement about his dislike for snipers, due to a past family incident, and the comment was completely blown out of proportion as criticism for the movie, which it wasn't. Eastwood seems to have taken it in good spirits, but still managed to make a joke about Moore's death...
‘Everyone kept saying I was going to kill Michael Moore but that’s not true. It isn’t a bad idea (big laugh from crowd). I think once years ago somebody asked me what would I do if a guy like him came to my house with a whole film crew and started filming away like he did with Charlton Heston. Unfortunately Charlton Heston was ill at the time with Alzheimers. But I thought if somebody was on your property you could shoot him (big laughs). I think about the line, ‘get off my lawn’....I’m all for (anyone expressing) what their attitudes are. That’s what is great about this country. You can say whatever you want and nobody has to agree with you."You can say whatever you want, even if you're only talking to an empty chair. Anyway, Eastwood was clearly joking but I wouldn't be at all surprised if he totally went all Gran Torino on Moore if he showed up with cameras.
