From Don Hauptman:
People often ask me about the status of the Atlas Shrugged movie project, as if I have insider knowledge, which I do not.
On the front page of today’s Wall Street Journal (April 22, 2004) is a profile of Philip Anschutz, an entrepreneur who has invested large sums to make wholesome, family-oriented films. The article mentions that he is closing Crusader Entertainment, one of his movie divisions. Crusader is the company that acquired the rights to film Atlas last year. (That came about due to the USA Today article, but that’s another story.)
Deep in the Journal article, a paragraph notes that Anschutz and his colleagues had difficulty adapting the novel. With Crusader’s closing, whether Atlas will now be filmed is described as “an open question.”
This is a sad but familiar tale. I was overseas in the Navy in 1970 or ’71 when I saw the news about Godfather producer Al Ruddy obtaining the rights. Numerous attempts have fallen through since then.
I have a print subscription to the Journal, but not online access, and so can’t provide a link. The Journal is on sale for a dollar at finer newsstands everywhere.
