So much for Olivier Assayas' 'Idol's Eye' with Robert Pattinson and Robert De Niro

While it's easy to find money for movies based on comics or '80s toys, directors who tend to make smaller projects are still having trouble. That even goes for Olivier Assayas, who had amassed a terrific cast for Idol's Eye, which would have starred Robert Pattinson, Robert De Niro, and Rachel Weisz. Unfortunately, even with that group of A-listers it was still too difficult for Benaroya Pictures to secure financing and the film has been cancelled. Here's their statement:

Due to the criteria for financing not being met by producers, Benaroya Pictures has formally decided to discontinue financing the motion picture titled IDOL’S EYE. The company cannot continue to put its investment at risk and has been forced to stop cash flowing the production. This is something all of us wanted to avoid, but due to the producers missing a number of financing criteria deadlines that were mutually established by all parties, we were left with no other options. Benaroya Pictures plans to retain the rights of the film and move forward with production on the picture after we generate a revised script and assemble a new filmmaking team.

So there's still some hope that the heist film, based on the true story of average criminals who accidentally rob a mob-owned porn store, will securing financing and move forward some time in the future. It's especially disappointing given how successful Pattinson's Twilight co-star Kristen Stewart was in Assayas' last film, Clouds of Sils Maria.  [Deadline]

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Robert De Niro Joins Robert Pattinson for 'Idol's Eye'

Conservatively speaking, Robert De Niro is probably good for one decent film for every three or four terrible ones. For every Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle there's The Bag Man, Last Vegas, The Family, or (*shudders*) Killing Season, so maybe he's due for another hit?

De Niro will join Robert Pattinon in Idol's Eye, a "sophisticated" thriller directed by Olivier Assayas, who is coming off the Cannes premiere of his most recent film, Clouds of Sils Maria. The story is based on the real life events surrounding a gang of normal criminals who accidentally steal from a mob boss. And if we know anything about mob bosses it's that they aren't the most forgiving people in the world.

No word on the roles either actor will take but it would be odd if De Niro is anybody other than the mobster. Filming is set to begin in October.

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Robert Pattinson to Star in Olivier Assayas' 'Idol's Eye'

Two guys who are having a very busy Cannes are Robert Pattinson and Olivier Assayas. Pattinson, whose got a jammed up slate for 2014, hit the festival with David Michod's The Rover and David Cronenberg's Maps to the Stars. Assayas is there in-competition with his film, Clouds of Sils Maria starring Pattinson's ex-gal, Kristen Stewart. And once all of that is over, Pattinson and Assayas are going to put their heads together for a film shooting this fall.

Pattinson confirmed to La Nouvel Observateur that he will star in Assayas' next film, revealed by Le Monde to be titled Idol's Eye. It's a film the director has been talking about for a spell (under a different title), and follows a bunch of criminals who accidentally rob a mob boss. The story was chronicled in Hillel Levin's 2007 Playboy article, Boosting the Big Tuna.

Pattinson says production begins in November so we should start seeing more details soon.

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