Director Seth Gordon launched his first major film back in 2007, King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters, and has since gone on to a successful career in directing several feature films and major television shows. He's even pinned to the forthcoming remake of '80s hacking classic, WarGames. His next move, however, could be a return to the documentary that launched his career, with Gordon telling The Playlist that he's still hard at work on a New Line Cinema-backed remake.
Bizarrely, said remake may actually take on a mockumentary feel. Gordon credits his recent television work as inspiration: "There's a few different avenues. I've done some work on 'Modern Family' and 'The Office' and have worked in this doc style, and so that inspired me to say, instead of doing a traditional narrative feature script, what if we did the remake in the doc style?"
Black List contestant Melissa Stack penned the most recent draft of the script, which Gordon takes as confirmation that the project is still "quite real." We can't imagine Billy Mitchell being too responsive to direction in Gordon's remake, but then again that tumultuous interaction could turn out to be a hilarious documentary unto itself.
Reader Comments (35)
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 2:44PM MEMgrizzlies7 said
Billy Mitchell is such a douche
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 2:57PM Dance Mofo said
@MEMgrizzlies7 Why because you asked him to autograph his hot sauce and said you weren't special enough?
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Posted: Jul 11th 2011 3:06PM xFenixKnightx said
@MEMgrizzlies7
Wrong, he is a megadouche. Steve Wiebe was such a class act in that movie.
So they aren't gonna put the Asian guy who has the real record right now in it? I think that guy is making his own doc.
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Wrong, he is a megadouche. Steve Wiebe was such a class act in that movie.
So they aren't gonna put the Asian guy who has the real record right now in it? I think that guy is making his own doc.
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 3:08PM xFenixKnightx said
@Dance Mofo
Had a friend who went to eat there and said they actually had some pretty bomb ass wings.
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Had a friend who went to eat there and said they actually had some pretty bomb ass wings.
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 3:35PM Dance Mofo said
@xFenixKnightx man, i wish he opened up his joint over at mall of america. i would love to try them out.
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Posted: Jul 11th 2011 3:41PM The Joy of Painting w Bob Ross said
@Chibi Chaingun
God of douches maybe.
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God of douches maybe.
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 3:41PM Dance Mofo said
@xFenixKnightx
"So they aren't gonna put the Asian guy who has the real record right now in it? I think that guy is making his own doc"
In America, what's gonna happen is the Asian will get replaced by an Abercrombie white guy.
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"So they aren't gonna put the Asian guy who has the real record right now in it? I think that guy is making his own doc"
In America, what's gonna happen is the Asian will get replaced by an Abercrombie white guy.
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 5:38PM Dance Mofo said
@JasonA
"bomb ass" is a good term, been around for a while. ebonics is a good source for vitamins and minerals for the mind for that healthy morning start.
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"bomb ass" is a good term, been around for a while. ebonics is a good source for vitamins and minerals for the mind for that healthy morning start.
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 8:55PM Bluebreaker said
@MEMgrizzlies7
You know, for all of "Billy is a douche" internet venting he always has a legion of adoring fans.
If you like Steve as much as you all say you do then...make a statue of him or...something.
Maybe buy him a cake! That's sounds nice.
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You know, for all of "Billy is a douche" internet venting he always has a legion of adoring fans.
If you like Steve as much as you all say you do then...make a statue of him or...something.
Maybe buy him a cake! That's sounds nice.
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 2:47PM PR0F3TA said
sounds good to me lol
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 3:39PM Chibi Chaingun said
@PR0F3TA
I don't think it's the best idea but I really don't know what else they'd do and I just want some more King of Kong action.
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I don't think it's the best idea but I really don't know what else they'd do and I just want some more King of Kong action.
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 2:51PM Crimsic said
The remake of a real documentary is going to be a fake documentary?
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 2:51PM Roto13 said
Really, a mockumantary makes more sense than remaking a documentary. How do you even do that? Go back in time and film it again?
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 2:53PM Shadowbender said
Sounds like Gordon is really speaking of a "spiritual successor" than a remake.
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 3:14PM Kuipo said
Does Poe's Law apply to this? I think it does. I don't see how you can make fun of a movie that's already so easy to make fun of...
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 3:15PM MLS said
This sounds like a bad idea. The original doc had plenty of humor delivered in an honest dry way, and already took a couple liberties with Billy Mitchell (people claim they made him out to be more villainous than he really was). Making a parody seems redundant when we already know the truth is as entertaining as fiction.
Turning this into a straight up comedy is a bit too on-the-nose with the humor. "Hey guys, just letting you know, there's a Donkey Kong kill screen coming up..." does not play as well if you know the entire bit is an act. It's still a funny situation, but King of Kong's humor was at best when mixed with "gheeze, can you believe this guy?" feeling.
Turning this into a straight up comedy is a bit too on-the-nose with the humor. "Hey guys, just letting you know, there's a Donkey Kong kill screen coming up..." does not play as well if you know the entire bit is an act. It's still a funny situation, but King of Kong's humor was at best when mixed with "gheeze, can you believe this guy?" feeling.
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 3:27PM Cranky Penguin said
@MLS Totally agree, what's next, are they going to remake Trekkies as a mockumentary? It was already the funniest film I've ever seen that would not work near as well if the comedy was intentional.
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Posted: Jul 11th 2011 3:30PM Indiana Pwnzz said
I think a new doc filmed in a rough "the office" type cinematography will not only give it a better feel, but also allow Seth Gordon to give Twin Galaxies more exposure in such a way that more people would be inclined to watch. Think positive people!
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 3:37PM Chibi Chaingun said
Donkey Kong kill screen coming up if anyone's interested.
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 3:46PM oOWallaceOo said
"One man's attempt to right a wrong, one board at a time,
Leaping over fire and... Barrels to save a girl he barely knows.
This Summer get your quarters at the ready for this elevator ride, that will take our hero to new heights and new lows
This July It's on like [Redacted]"
Leaping over fire and... Barrels to save a girl he barely knows.
This Summer get your quarters at the ready for this elevator ride, that will take our hero to new heights and new lows
This July It's on like [Redacted]"
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 4:15PM jasoncourt said
Ummmmm, wasn't that what King of Kong was? I mean that is the only way it was enjoyable. Like "Who look how sad and comical these people are.".
By the way, if your big takeaway from the movie was 'that Billy Mitchell guy sucks' or 'that poor Steve, I felt so sorry for him.', you missed the point. Everyone is a funny/depressing figure, except for maybe the guys family. Steve's daughter had the most poignant line of the film.."(on Guinness record book)Some people sort of ruin their lives to be in there..". As in, who cares about the stupid record...besides crazy people?!
By the way, if your big takeaway from the movie was 'that Billy Mitchell guy sucks' or 'that poor Steve, I felt so sorry for him.', you missed the point. Everyone is a funny/depressing figure, except for maybe the guys family. Steve's daughter had the most poignant line of the film.."(on Guinness record book)Some people sort of ruin their lives to be in there..". As in, who cares about the stupid record...besides crazy people?!
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 4:24PM BananaBoat said
King of Kong worked because it was a look into this bizarre, stuck in the eighties, world, where people still passionately played arcade machines and tried for high scores. There was intrigue, betrayal, a clear hero and villain, etc. Also, everyone was (is?) insane.
I don't know if you can script that kind of magic. Unless Catfish was all faked. In which case, I guess it is possible.
I don't know if you can script that kind of magic. Unless Catfish was all faked. In which case, I guess it is possible.
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 4:31PM Orionsaint said
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 4:42PM Drakkenfyre said
Wait, they are remaking WarGames?
Why do I have a feeling it will involve some stupid virus, email, instant messaging programs, some spinoff of Facebook, Skynet-style system in the government, and a virus instead of nukes?
And the point behind the hacking will be less of trying to get free games, and more about trying to expose some terrible "government plot", when the system goes rogue, and the person responsible will have to outhack the computer system itself?
In otherwords, it's going to be complete garbage. Hell, they'll probably use a person with a slight electronic filter to represent WOPR (guaranteed that name will change) instead of the original style sythesizer.
Why do I have a feeling it will involve some stupid virus, email, instant messaging programs, some spinoff of Facebook, Skynet-style system in the government, and a virus instead of nukes?
And the point behind the hacking will be less of trying to get free games, and more about trying to expose some terrible "government plot", when the system goes rogue, and the person responsible will have to outhack the computer system itself?
In otherwords, it's going to be complete garbage. Hell, they'll probably use a person with a slight electronic filter to represent WOPR (guaranteed that name will change) instead of the original style sythesizer.
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 4:52PM bshido said
it seemed like a documentary when i saw it?
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 5:23PM Jenks said
I'd like to see Christopher Guest make this movie, with his usual cast.
I loved the real King of Kong, but thinking about Fred Willard doing color commentary during the record breaking attempt is cracking me up.
I loved the real King of Kong, but thinking about Fred Willard doing color commentary during the record breaking attempt is cracking me up.
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 5:57PM SirUrza said
I care just about as much as I cared about the documentary... I don't.
Posted: Jul 11th 2011 7:04PM Walter White said
WarGames 2 was bad enough. No way in hell I will see a remake.
And WarGames still holds the record for most times I ever saw a single movie while it was playing in theaters (7 times, including the 25th anniversary re-release in '08)
And WarGames still holds the record for most times I ever saw a single movie while it was playing in theaters (7 times, including the 25th anniversary re-release in '08)
Posted: Jul 12th 2011 8:49AM ddrussianinja said
Not sure why this needs to be a mockumentary. The straight-up documentary was funny enough.
Posted: Jul 12th 2011 4:25PM Flicktion said
If you don't think Mitchell is a total tool then you've never seen the show. Unless you're one of his 40 year old virgin followers that is, those guys are even more pathetic than him.






