It has been revealed that Clint Eastwood is gradually moving towards directing what is being billed as the final film of his career, after decades of starring in classic films and directing over 35 of his own.
Clint Eastwood’s final film is slated to land at Warner Bros., the studio with which he has been developing projects for over 50 years. Since Gran Torino in 2008, Eastwood has strictly stayed with Warner Bros. and has delivered 10 more films for the studio, including Oscar-winning favorites like Invictus, American Sniper, Sully, and Richard Jewell. His most recent film, Cry Macho, was one of the last titles released by Warner Bros. in 2021, both on HBO Max and in theaters.
Regarding Cry Macho, the Wall Street Journal reported that when Discovery acquired WarnerMedia, new President and CEO David Zaslav “grilled” in-house executives about the production of that film and others that all flopped at the box office. When the executives revealed that they would be willing to take a chance on Eastwood regardless of box office returns due to his long history with the studio, Zaslav responded with “We don’t owe anyone any favors.” With our latest report, it seems that Zaslav has changed his opinion on Eastwood and is eager to secure his final film at Warner Bros.
As for the plot of Clint Eastwood’s final film, sources say he is working on a thriller currently titled “Juror #2.” The story is said to follow a juror in a murder trial who realizes that he may have caused the victim’s death and must grapple with the dilemma of whether to manipulate the jury to save himself or reveal the truth and turn himself in.
While Eastwood definitely intends to direct, it cannot be certain whether he will stick to the idea of this being his last film. Even though the project is being internally billed this way, there is still a possibility that Eastwood will tackle another feature after Juror #2. Ultimately, however, as the four-time Oscar winner approaches the age of 93, we are told that Eastwood’s current plan is to retire completely after completing this film.
A start date for Clint Eastwood’s final film has not yet been locked in. Casting has not yet begun either, but one source has hinted that Eastwood is eyeing a young Hollywood star for the lead role. This young star also happens to be starring as the lead in a major film set to release within the next few months, according to our knowledge. That being said, no further talks with talent have begun.
Juror #2 would be Clint Eastwood’s 40th directed feature film, which makes for an unparalleled cinematic legacy alongside his equally iconic acting career. In addition to his Best Director and Best Picture Academy Award wins for both 1992’s Unforgiven and 2004’s Million Dollar Baby, Eastwood will be remembered for operating unlike any other filmmaker in Hollywood. From his notorious one-take method to actually delivering films under budget to that one time he cast three American heroes in the retelling of their own story in The 15:17 to Paris, the list goes on and on with Eastwood’s noble feats behind the camera.
Under the leadership of Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, Warner Bros. is building an exciting slate of iconic filmmakers to lead the future of the studio. This includes films in active development from directors such as M. Night Shyamalan, Baz Luhrmann, Matt Reeves, Zach Cregger, Tim Burton, and Michael Giacchino, as well as completed films from Greta Gerwig (Barbie), Denis Villeneuve (Dune: Part Two), Paul King (Wonka), Bong Joon-ho (Mickey 17), George Miller (Furiosa), Todd Phillips (Joker: Folie à Deux), and Kevin Costner (Horizon). Clint Eastwood’s final film, Juror #2, is sure to be a significant addition to this list.