Fincher & Spacey's House of Cards

[Shifty]

Netflix outbid HBO and AMC for David Fincher and Kevin Spacey's House of Cards for their first original series. Netflix clinched it by ordering two seasons before even a pilot was filmed and a budget around $100 million.

The first season will premiere in late 2012 with the pilot shot by Fincher.

The political thriller, based on Michael Dobbs’ novel and the 1990 British series it spawned, stars Spacey as Rep. Frank Underwood, the Majority Whip of the US House of Representatives who, after getting is passed over for Secretary of State, hatches a plot to bring down the new President.

American Horror Story‘s Kate Mara has been cast in the series. Mara will play Zoe Barnes, a reporter for a top Washington newspaper who, desperate for a break, makes a deal with Underwood for a scoop that could cost her her soul. She joins Spacey and fellow lead Robin Wright who plays Underwood’s wife.

Also cast in the MRC-produced series is Kristen Connolly (The Cabin In The Woods) who will recur as the headstrong executive assistant of another Congressman. Mara, sister of The Girls With The Dragon Tattoo star Rooney Mara, most recently recurred on the first season of FX’s hit horror drama American Horror Story.

The Baltimore Sun reported that the project is estimated to be $100 million and that filming and production of House of Cards will start in Spring 2012 in Baltimore, Maryland, the announcement was made by Maryland Governor Martin O' Malley. It was reported in the Dagger Press that the filming for the first season would be based in Harford County, Maryland.

So would this and Arrested Development Season Four convince you to get or keep Netflix?

 

[Prison Mike]

I've never left Netflix to begin with but this series is sounding really good. Can't wait. I'm loving that Netflix is getting into original programming.

 

[Shifty]

Corey Stoll To Co-Star Opposite Kevin Spacey On Netflix Series ‘House Of Cards’
By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Monday February 6, 2012 @ 11:27am

EXCLUSIVE: Law & Order: LA standout Corey Stoll has joined the cast of Netflix’s first original series, David Fincher’s drama House Of Cards starring Kevin Spacey. The political thriller, based on Michael Dobbs’ novel and the 1990 British series it spawned, stars Spacey as Rep. Frank Underwood, the Majority Whip of the US House of Representatives who, after getting is passed over for Secretary of State, hatches a plot to bring down the new President. Stoll will play Rep. Patrick Russo, a loose-canon, womanizing three-term Italian-American Congressman, divorced with 2 kids, who is having a torrid affair with his secretary (Kristen Connolly). When Russo gets caught driving drunk with a call girl passenger, Frank intervenes to save him from the scandal, but at a high cost. Stoll received high marks for his performance as Detective Tomas “TJ” Jaruszalski on LOLA and was the only full-time actor from the original cast to stay on through the series’ creative overhaul. Stoll, repped by UTA and manager James Suskin, also recently got attention for his portrayal of Ernest Hemingway in Woody Allen’s Midnight In Paris, which earned him an Independent Spirit Award nomination for best supporting actor. He just wrapped the indie Decoding Annie Parker.

 

[Crockett]

Excellent addition, he was simply brilliant as Hemingway in Midnight in Paris, Fincher is enough for me to get excited for this series. I think it's good that Netflix is starting with their own shows, it's just too bad that it isn't available in my country yet.

 

[Shifty]

Remember when Terra Nova had problems? This better not sink things.

David Fincher Battles Over Budget on Netflix's 'House of Cards' (Exclusive)
12:44 PM PST 3/7/2012 by Kim Masters THR.com

The director's feuds include a threat to quit over money on the $100 million series, which is about to go into production.

Netflix is getting a lesson in what it’s like to work with a top Hollywood auteur.

Looking to reinvent itself as a premium channel, Netflix shocked the TV industry in May by committing $100 million to a hefty 26 episodes of House of Cards, based on a British 1990 miniseries. Kevin Spacey is set to produce and star opposite Robin Wright in the American version, playing a politician who becomes corrupt as his ambitions grow.

The series is scheduled to debut this year, but multiple sources say friction has developed between Oscar-nominated director David Fincher (The Social Network), who is executive producing the series, and independent studio Media Rights Capital over budget issues -- specifically, Fincher’s desire for more money. Fincher is set to direct the first two episodes, but sources say the prickly talent has even threatened to depart over his displeasure.

Netflix referred inquiries about the production to MRC, which denies a dispute, expressing support for Fincher and the project.

“Everything’s fine and moving ahead,” the rep says. The start of production in Baltimore, originally scheduled for March, has been pushed to April, though a source says that was to accommodate Spacey’s schedule. Fincher has a well-established reputation for aggressively pursuing his vision despite cost concerns.

“It’s like, Netflix — welcome to the content business,” says a producer who has worked with Fincher. “You buy retail, you’re going to pay retail.”

Actually, Netflix is only on the hook for a licensing fee, so budget overages are MRC’s problem. The 6-year-old company has met with mixed success in television, producing the HBO series The Life & Times of Tim and The Ricky Gervais Show, the latter an animated version of the comic’s podcasts, but losing millions in an effort to create a programming block for The CW. Those who have worked with MRC say the company, which has made The Adjustment Bureau and the upcoming Seth MacFarlane vehicle Ted, is not known for hands-on producing experience. An executive says the usual MRC pitch is, “ ‘We’re going to finance your movie; you’re completely in charge, we’re not going to mess with you.’ And then the director has creative protection from the studio.”

In that context, Fincher might have been a particularly challenging partner. “David is fantastic, but David isn’t easy,” says Bill Mechanic, who ran Fox when Fincher made Fight Club. “If you don’t know how to manage a budget, [using Fincher] probably isn’t the smartest thing to do.”

 

[Crockett]

First look:

Kevin Spacey (left) and Robin Wright (right) star as a ruthless politician and his ambitious wife in Netflix's next big streaming event, David Fincher's reboot of House of Cards, the revered 1990 BBC drama about a backstabbing British MP. ''The original was about a wily, murderous politician worming his way to becoming prime minister,'' Spacey says. ''This is about a wily, murderous politician worming his way to the White House.'' The series won't be streaming till sometime in 2013, but ''it ain't your daddy's West Wing,'' Spacey says.

http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20385926_20456486,00.html#21164405

 

[Shifty]

HOUSE OF CARDS TRAILER
[YT]B3VsT4FBqGA[/YT]

Looks awesome. All 13 episodes will be available when it is launched.

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

I needed a replacement for Damages (a guilty pleasure), and I have a Netflix account. This looks right up my alley!

 

[lime]

Any way I can find the music from that trailer?

 

[Soapy]

This is looking pretty good.

 

[flickchick85]

I hope the budget issues don't kill it. This could be very good.

 

[Marvolo]

I will be watching the first episode to see how it is. Intrigued.

 

[Shifty]

A bunch of trailers as we get closer to the February 1st launch date. All 13 episodes of the first season will be available that day.

http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/House_of_Cards/70178217

 

[Prison Mike]

Can't wait for this show to come out. There needs to be more shows that provide all the episodes at one time.

 

[Shifty]

Can't wait for this show to come out. There needs to be more shows that provide all the episodes at one time.

Netflix has Arrested, Derek, Orange Is The New Black and Hemlock Grove this year.

 

[Prison Mike]

What are Derek and Orange is The New Black about?

 

[flickchick85]

So The Hollywood Reporter loved this.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/house-cards-netflix-tv-review-415589

It seems Netflix chose their grand entrance into legit original programming wisely (not sure if Lilyhammer counts).

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Looking forward to this! It's finally debuting tomorrow.

Who else is going to watch? If you like it, do you think you'll just marathon the series or just watch one episode every week like a typical tv series?

 

[Shifty]

If it hooks me I'll probably finish it within a week with a marathon.

As much as I enjoy watching shows weekly and having something to look forward to, marathons only make them better.

 

[flickchick85]

Looking forward to this! It's finally debuting tomorrow.

Who else is going to watch? If you like it, do you think you'll just marathon the series or just watch one episode every week like a typical tv series?

I'll probably watch a batch of 2 or 3 episodes a week. Depends on how addictive it turns out to be. Right now, it looks like a pretty heavy show that might be a little too much for me to want to spend a whole day with.

 

[souvlaki]

So excited to start watching this tonight. So how are spoilers going to work in this thread? Releasing a series this way kind of sets a new precedent. It's not like normal tv shows where everyone is going to be watching at the same pace on a week to week basis.

 

[souvlaki]

So... Joel Schumacher directed two episode of this?

 

[lime]

Ok, that just sucks! I want to watch this series, but when I go to Netflix, It says that it's not available in my country. So what...this is it, just specific countries can enjoy this? SUCKS!

 

[Shifty]

Really enjoyed the first two episodes, very well done. Spacey has created a terrific character.

 

[Matt]

So... Joel Schumacher directed two episode of this?

Good. Joel Schumacher is an incredibly talented director. Fanboys jump down his throat for B&R, but that seems more like a case of studio meddling than anything else. If the internet was what it is now, back in 1993, when Schumacher was announced, fanboys would've gone crazy with glee. This is the guy who directed Flatliners and The Lost Boys. Unfortunately, Warners wanted something that could sell happy meals and action figures. Schumacher gave them just that. He can hardly be faulted. I personally would love to see what Schumacher would've done with a Batman movie if he had a proper script and some creative control.