The reason Hollywood does remakes? Ah, sit yourself down and let me tell you a tale..
adjusts cardigan and lights pipe
The hardest thing to get across to the finance people, and I believe we might have touched on this previously, is an original concept.
Try going into a pitch session with "this is a movie about a guy who is born very old, and as he goes through life, he gets younger until he dies as a baby."
I can guarantee you, blank stares and sideline glances will occur. At least until you say "Brad Pitt is attached", then of course its inherent genius as a concept will be revealed to the assembled throng as though luminated by lightning.
"Brad Pitt is attached" is a phrase which carries a lot of weight and which unlocks a lot of doors.
I wouldn't be at all surprised to find there is a deal of smoking in "Benjamin Button"
re-lights pipe and draws on it, warming to his theme.
If you have neither tobacco money, nor huge stars in your back pocket, then a famous classic or marvellously successful new book (Lord of The Rings or Gone With The Wind) might do, or last of all, - a Remake! These have the disadvantage of a hefty fee for rights-acquisition (LOTR did have a famous smoking scene, by the way involving Gandalf) but they do carry a massive advantage as regards selling the movie is concerned - a Brand. In other words, the public instantly recognizes the title and thinks warmly of it , something promo people prize very highly.
This works well even in the pop field, Elvis Costello chose his name as a joke but also with a recognised brand association in mind. People don't know why Jethro Tull "stuck" as a name, but most kids of certain generation had a smidgeon of recognition from their history lessons - it wasn't just a cool sounding name.
That'll be enough for now, puts out small fire in cardigan pocket I've prepared this in a freesheet for you to pick up on the way out. It has a free cigarette attached.
