First Look Image of Oliver Stone's "W" Hits the Web
May 8, 2008

Amid a heated U.S. presidential campaign, the first look image of Oliver Stone’s upcoming biopic, W, about current President George W. Bush, has timely appeared online via Entertainment Weekly. While the current presidential campaign rages on, and President Bush winds down his Presidency, filming on W will get underway later in May in Shreveport, Louisiana with Josh Brolin in the role of the controversial Commander in Chief. As EW reveals in their article, Brolin was reluctant to take on the role but warmed up to the idea after learning of certain similarities he shares with President George W.Bush.

Although Oliver Stone suggests that George W. Bush might go down in history as the worst president the U.S. people have ever elected, Stone also told EW that Bush’s double-term in office makes for a great story despite his lack of popularity. "It's almost Capra-esque, the story of a guy who had very limited talents in life, except for the ability to sell himself. The fact that he had to overcome the shadow of his father and the weight of his family name - you have to admire his tenacity."

With a cast that already includes Josh Brolin as "Dubya", Elizabeth Banks in the role of First Lady Laura Bush, James Cromwell as former President George H.W. Bush, Ellen Burstyn in the role of former First Lady Barbara Bush, Fantastic Four actor Ioan Gruffudd playing Tony Blair, and Thandie Newton in the role of Condoleezza Rice, rumor has it that Jeffrey Wright might soon be onboard as General Colin Powell. Other unconfirmed reports suggest Paul Giamatti is in the running step into the shoes of current Vice President Dick Cheney.

While the project continues to evolve in such a heated and deeply divided political climate, the big question is whether Oliver Stone will be able to finish the film and get it into theaters before the Presidency changes hands in January, which he tells EW that W will be out by the 2009 inauguration. Although Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 911 didn't have much of an impact on the previous election (if any at all), if W does open during the most crucial election period in November, it'll be interesting to watch the possible ripple effect.