Director Scott revisits Reagan, Gorbachev summit

By Leo Cendrowicz

BRUSSELS (Hollywood Reporter) - "American Gangster" director Ridley Scott is planning another movie about two powerful rivals, in this case Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev.

His as-yet-unnamed project -- still in the script stage -- will focus on the 1986 Reykjavik arms control summit between the U.S. president and his Soviet counterpart. It could be wrapped by the end of the year and released in early 2009, Scott told The Hollywood Reporter.

Representatives from Scott Free Prods., the company he runs with his brother Tony, visited Iceland last summer to investigate the possibility of shooting the film in Reykjavik, and already have secured permission to use the Hofdi House, where the summit actually took place.

"These are fascinating historical characters, larger-than-life figures, but I want to show who they were and why they did what they did," said Scott. "Their actions helped shape history, paving the way for the end of the Cold War."

The summit actually collapsed over a technicality in the final minutes, but enough common ground was achieved to bring about a treaty on banning intermediate-range nuclear forces the following year.

One of the challenges is casting. "In some way, you'd want to go for an unknown. But both characters are at a certain age, so inevitably you want to go for someone with experience," Scott said.

"The physical resemblance is secondary. It's less about visible appearance, more about the acting. But you have to acknowledge the physicality," he added. "Reagan was tall and elegant while Gorbachev was stocky, like a front row rugby player. In some ways, Gorbachev is easier to cast. Reagan is more colorful."

Scott most recently was in theaters with "American Gangster," a fact-based drama starring Denzel Washington as a Harlem gangster and Russell Crowe as the dogged cop who brings him down.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter