The Great Gatsby gets Baz Luhrmann's seal of ambiguity

I want Baz Luhrmann's adaptation of The Great Gatsby now, but I also want it to go off without a hitch. After the first blurbs about it cropped up a couple of years ago, the project suddenly jumped to the forefront when Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire were rumored to be attached. The notoriously picky director selected Carey Mulligan for the Daisy Buchanan role, and Warner Brothers finally green lit the film to shoot in 3D in Australia.

Luhrmann himself has remained extremely tight lipped for the most part, even flirting with the idea of not doing the movie at all. Even though that threat has disappeared, he still seems unwilling to really talk details. Vulture had a chance to ask the director a few questions about it, and the tap dance begins...

If you're here a lot and most of your team is in Brooklyn, why are you shooting The Great Gatsby in Australia?

That's a great question. I'm not doing Gatsby right now for this reason. Because despite what might be out there, I have made no comment about anything. So until I say it, it's not said, you know.

What does that mean?

What it means is, much like what goes on in any event, when you're in the middle of the work, there's all sorts of things you're doing, and, you know, when I'm really clear — I, right now, my only focus is absorbing — I've been studying Fitzgerald now for three years, and my only act now is to absorb the DNA of his world, his life, the world of the novel. That's why I have published on our website all the books we're reading. And I think before we all engage anyone, the first thing to do is to do your homework, read the books, and then let's talk.

Does that mean even the fact that you're making The Great Gatsby is misreported?

No, I'm making The Great Gatsby.

And the 3-D part?Like I said, I'm in the middle of my own foolish-to-be-talking-about-anything-in-any-regard stage, before you truly have something to express. I'm in the middle of my own moment and my team's, and I'm just building culture. Building creative culture.

So all the rumors about casting and where it's going to be shot are just things people are saying?

That would be a really clever way of getting a confirmation or a denial, and I commend you highly!

"Absorbing his world"? What's he doing? Hanging out at swanky parties, drinking Harvey Wallbangers and doing the Charleston? Ok I probably got my time periods all screwed up there but you get my point. I guess I should be happy he appears totally committed to the film. We're just going to have to wait until he's comfortable enough to discuss it.


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