Tony Gilroy

The life of a screenwriter, the life of a writer-director, I have not been able to pick and choose what I've wanted to do. Well, that's the core of the question.

The life of a screenwriter, the life of a writer-director, I have not been able to pick and choose what I've wanted to do. Well, that's the core of the question.

Go ahead. You stopped going to the theater. You stopped going to the theater. You with a capital Y stopped going to the theater.

Go ahead. You stopped going to the theater. You stopped going to the theater. You with a capital Y stopped going to the theater.

Totally. No, I mean, the... Man, I've been around so long. I've seen this whole thing. I've seen all these dynastic changes happen and ridden it through. The economics are just what they are. And Michael Clayton existed in that moment where the model on that movie is if I could get a movie star whose full freight price – was basically the cost of the movie. And they do the movie for free.

Totally. No, I mean, the... Man, I've been around so long. I've seen this whole thing. I've seen all these dynastic changes happen and ridden it through. The economics are just what they are. And Michael Clayton existed in that moment where the model on that movie is if I could get a movie star whose full freight price – was basically the cost of the movie. And they do the movie for free.

I had a movie. I mean, even at that point, if George is going to come in, I think the movie costs $20. I think George was getting $15, $20 at that point. And he waives his fee. He owns the picture. That's how that movie gets made. That model began to degrade over time. And now it's an impossibility. I mean, now Clayton is absolutely a streaming show.

I had a movie. I mean, even at that point, if George is going to come in, I think the movie costs $20. I think George was getting $15, $20 at that point. And he waives his fee. He owns the picture. That's how that movie gets made. That model began to degrade over time. And now it's an impossibility. I mean, now Clayton is absolutely a streaming show.

There are no movie stars anymore. No, there are no movie stars. And so all of these things have changed. So I... My father was in the same business. My brothers are in the same business. I have grown up in this my whole life. It's prenatal for me. And one of the major, most important things carved in stone that I know, it does no good to complain about the weather, man. You got to go out.

There are no movie stars anymore. No, there are no movie stars. And so all of these things have changed. So I... My father was in the same business. My brothers are in the same business. I have grown up in this my whole life. It's prenatal for me. And one of the major, most important things carved in stone that I know, it does no good to complain about the weather, man. You got to go out.

You got to see what's there. Now, I don't want to... I grew up, my brothers and I grew up, my friends and I grew up with a generation of writers before us, great writers and great producers and directors and whatever. But they... many of them became embittered by the changing landscape and the changing topography of what had happened. And that's a lesson that I've taken away. I'm staying flexible.

You got to see what's there. Now, I don't want to... I grew up, my brothers and I grew up, my friends and I grew up with a generation of writers before us, great writers and great producers and directors and whatever. But they... many of them became embittered by the changing landscape and the changing topography of what had happened. And that's a lesson that I've taken away. I'm staying flexible.

I want to work. I want to be obsessed. I want to work on something that I'm into.

I want to work. I want to be obsessed. I want to work on something that I'm into.

I don't, man, better, I don't know. I think there's a couple of really significant things. I mean, just personally, I have a movie that I'm hoping to get greenlit very soon. That's very much, that'll go back and direct. And it's about movie music. And it's certainly not Clayton that it's a thriller, but it's very much in the same scale. And it's very ambitious and unusual.

I don't, man, better, I don't know. I think there's a couple of really significant things. I mean, just personally, I have a movie that I'm hoping to get greenlit very soon. That's very much, that'll go back and direct. And it's about movie music. And it's certainly not Clayton that it's a thriller, but it's very much in the same scale. And it's very ambitious and unusual.

And it's, if I get to make it, I think you'd say, oh, this is the thing I was talking about. But- Good. What's new and good? I'll tell you what's good. What's good is time.

And it's, if I get to make it, I think you'd say, oh, this is the thing I was talking about. But- Good. What's new and good? I'll tell you what's good. What's good is time.

The two major developments, I would say, are the best developments in recent years is one is Tony Soprano, because prior to Tony Soprano, every writer who ever went into a pitch meeting or ever dealt with an actor, there was always a note, can we make this character more sympathetic? How do we make Ross more sympathetic? Should we give you a dog?

The two major developments, I would say, are the best developments in recent years is one is Tony Soprano, because prior to Tony Soprano, every writer who ever went into a pitch meeting or ever dealt with an actor, there was always a note, can we make this character more sympathetic? How do we make Ross more sympathetic? Should we give you a dog?