October 13, 2007
Posted: 11:38 AM ET

Leonardo DiCaprio is in talks to star in a film loosely based on Howard Dean.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Howard Dean didn't make it to the White House, but could some form of him make it to the big screen?

According to the Hollywood Reporter, stars Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney are in discussions to join forces for a movie loosely based on the former governor's meteoric rise and fall in the 2004 Democratic presidential primaries.

The movie is set to be adapted from an upcoming Broadway play by Beau Willimon. The play, "Farragut North," tracks a novice but inspired campaign staffer who works for an "unorthodox" presidential candidate, according to the newspaper. Willimon worked on Dean’s presidential campaign.

The Hollywood Reporter writes that, according to the talks, Clooney would direct and produce the adaptation, and DiCaprio would star and produce.

Dean, now chairman of the Democratic National Committee, led the 2004 Democratic field in both the polls and campaign cash heading into the first wave of primaries. But, after a disappointing third place showing in Iowa, the Vermont Democrat's campaign quickly fizzled out. He ultimately failed to win a single caucus or primary outside of his home state of Vermont.

– CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney

Filed under: Howard Dean


ronnie knoxville, tn   October 12th, 2007 4:59 pm ET

we seem to have a rash of people who "will never make it to the White House" *cough* Al Gore- trying to get attention and promote their big government, nanny state thinking

j, Chicago, IL   October 12th, 2007 5:16 pm ET

Hey, they could name this movie, "Raaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrr!!!"

Steve, Portland, OR   October 12th, 2007 5:20 pm ET

Dean failed to win a single caucus or primary outside of Vermont so let's make a movie?. Why? Do they really think adding star power is gonna improve this movie or make people want to see it. I mean who cares?

James, Phoenix AZ   October 12th, 2007 5:21 pm ET

Scream (1961), Scream 2 (1997), Scream 3 (2000), and now: Dean Scream (2007).

The perfect cut-away ending would be a picture of Hillary in the 2007-2008 Primaries - angry in a townhall meeting accusing an attendee (asking about her vote on Iran) a "plant". Laying the groundwork for Hillary's film, "Cackle Debacle - How the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy stole the election from me!"

Whit, Dallas   October 12th, 2007 5:41 pm ET

I can't think of a more lame subject for a movie. That 'story line' is stronger than a fist full of valum. This will never be made and if it is no one will watch it.

joseph, austin, tx   October 12th, 2007 5:42 pm ET

hollywood must be real desparate for a new story, i think they are starting to realize that we're tired of remakes. clooney isnt smug at all by the way.(remember his oscar speech, how wasnt that played as racist, that was some of the most racist stuff i ever heard)

Chicago, Illinois   October 12th, 2007 6:22 pm ET

But Howard Dean was the first presidential candidate to efficently use the internet and young people to gather support. He fully used a grassroots organization. Nothing like this had been done on the level that it was done on. Now look at presidential hopefuls, they are all about using the internet anyway they can. He was the first.

As for the whole RAAAARRRR thing, if that's all you remember about him, then I feel bad for you. He did wonders for Vermont, and could have for our country. It's a shame he'll be remembered as the man who RAAAARRRRR'd.

Gary, San Carlos, CA   October 12th, 2007 8:06 pm ET

Leave it to DiCaprio and Clooney to come up with a loser of a film idea!!!!!!!!!

Moe, NY   October 12th, 2007 8:26 pm ET

Stop being so serious people…hello…it is a MOVIE! If you don't want to go to see it, then don't…the choice is yours. Lighten up!

Chris, Middletown, CT   October 12th, 2007 8:30 pm ET

Watch Team America - World Police - its a pretty good insight into the Film Actors Guild - and how self important they have become…(then of course the Gore character on South Park - Manbearpig)

Haley Comet, Catskill, NY   October 12th, 2007 9:03 pm ET

DiCaprio, Clooney to team up for Dean movie.

Which one will play Jerry?

Veronica Bloom, Jacksonville, FL   October 12th, 2007 9:10 pm ET

hollywood is a money machine. They are going to get all their political movies out there around election season.

The have another one called "Recount" coming out.

john williams san diego, ca.   October 12th, 2007 9:23 pm ET

perfect match…those two are complete loons…

Jacob, Northfield, MN   October 12th, 2007 9:27 pm ET

Huh? I cant say anymore as I am just not getting the CNN stories.

Woodwizard LV, NV 92050   October 12th, 2007 9:44 pm ET

WOW!!!

Cable King Pittsburgh PA   October 12th, 2007 10:20 pm ET

Good news is that anyone would be a better actor than Dumya

aj, cincinnati, oh   October 12th, 2007 10:35 pm ET

I can't think of a more boring film than Howard Deans' life. Well, yes, that egotistical elitist George Clooney's life might be a tad more boring.

Tom Dedham, Mass   October 12th, 2007 10:46 pm ET

Posted By James, Phoenix AZ : October 12, 2007 5:21 pm

Thanks for the chuckle.

Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon and hubby could also "star" in it, Brian DePalma could co-direct and Bruce Springsteen can do the soundtrack.

We have a mega-hit, must see movie on our hands and I will be first in line.

ronnie - knoxville, tn.   October 12th, 2007 11:38 pm ET

Clooney and DiCaprio aren't even real men. They're politicians and egotists. They're pretty boys, they're players. They are non-committal, they have no convictions, no patriotism. They aren't real men.

Kim, Saugus, MA   October 12th, 2007 11:38 pm ET

A movie about Dean? I hope it is a low budget movie for the sake of the movie industry.

We need to elect a PATRIOT to the office of President. That is why I am voting for Pete Grasso.

http://www.GrassoForPresident.com

MiLa Cambridge, MA   October 12th, 2007 11:45 pm ET

Actually, Dean won the DC primary but the DNC wouldn't accept that contest because it was held before New Hampshire. (DC was trying to draw attention to their lack of voting rights.) DC held a caucus in March, but only 1/3 of the voters turned out, since they had already voted in the primary.

It's incredibly ironic that, as DNC chair, Dean is forcing candidates to drop out of early primaries. If his early primary victory in DC had counted (and if the media had provdied more balanced coverage of the Iowa results), then Dean would have been the nominee. But he's been a great party chair, so it wasn't all lost.

Joe, Yorktown, VA   October 13th, 2007 1:08 am ET

Well at least it won't be a remake of an older film from my childhood.

Jim, Torrence, Ca   October 13th, 2007 1:12 am ET

More of Clooney's political propaganda.

Chuck P., Portland, OR   October 13th, 2007 2:02 am ET

I still find it amazing that people are "shocked" by how Howard Dean had won every poll in the primary, but somehow John Kerry won the primary election. The same Republicans who fixed the election for Bush to beat Kerry fixed the same machines to give the primary win to Kerry a long time Bush family friend who would sit back and let George win. Is this so hard for people to see?

Terry, IA   October 13th, 2007 2:10 am ET

First of all these hollywood starts should not get involved in politics. DiCaprio has difficulty to find job in Hollywood then he should join Democratic party. They should not get involved in such movies. Is he trying to be follow Michael Moore.

Daniel   October 13th, 2007 2:41 am ET

The nomination fight this year was very different than 2004… until today. Just as Dean suffered relentless personal attacks, the Dem race became very nasty today, with rough attacks between Obama and Clinton.

Marshall, Atlanta, GA   October 13th, 2007 4:22 am ET

Who. the. hell. cares? Shouldn't this be under 'Entertainment' rather than the Political Ticker?

You guys can do better than this. Seriously.

Karlos Phone, Los Angeles, CA   October 13th, 2007 6:36 am ET

…Wait a second, why isnt DiCaprio playing JAMES Dean? Look at the guy. Now that would be a film!

Laurie Wylie, West Chester, PA   October 13th, 2007 8:05 am ET

Why would a news organization as big as CNN resort to using a photo of a wax figure of an actor (and not even note that)? Couldn't they find a photo of Leo at a premiere or something? Ugh!

laurinda,ny   October 13th, 2007 8:11 am ET

Cnn.. I wouldn't waste my time seeing that dumb movie. I do like Leonardo though, he looks so much like my dead brother. I don't think that anyone real will comment because you have managed to put them in the blue things. Why don't you let them out? Futhermore, you should watch your own news because Bush has Putin real mad at us. We are on the Eve of Destruction and I really don't think we will be America by 2012 like they say. I don't even think we will make it to 2008 for the elections. I am very annoyed at this government and every single one of us let Bush cause our downfall.

Jo, ATL GA   October 13th, 2007 9:24 am ET

tell me how this is apolitical ticker and general sanchez's comment is not. per sanchez when in the military his job was to follow orders.

that man should be locked up. he could not voice his option as a general. what a waste

Karen,Me.   October 13th, 2007 9:46 am ET

DeCaprio is one of the pretty boy actors, but I must say that you can't beat Al Pachino and Robert DeNiro when they were young. They were the two best looking guys. They seemed to always play in good action movies.

christian Good, Melville, NY   October 13th, 2007 10:44 am ET

Veronica Bloom, Jacksonville, FL "hollywood is a money machine"? yea and the US government isnt???

James, LA, CA   October 13th, 2007 11:06 am ET

This is just one example of those Hollywood idiots who are mostly Dems. What's in their mind is always taking advantage for profit.

All the American enemies overseas are laughing at these idiot Americans. Stupid.

Justin - Boston, MA   October 13th, 2007 12:22 pm ET

Does anybody realize that this is a picture of a wax figure?

nogibbons.blogspot.com   October 13th, 2007 1:40 pm ET

You think the Dean Scream was hilarious? Get a load of this. LOL!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0EsY-aS7ws

Franco, Miami, Fl   October 13th, 2007 2:03 pm ET

Finally, a movie worth watching that's not filled with fear mongering, reactionary, yellowist b.s. Good for Clooney!

Jeff, Gary IN   October 13th, 2007 3:57 pm ET

The 1968 campaign would make a much better movie.

Scott, Los Angeles, California   October 13th, 2007 4:00 pm ET

This seems like an odd combination, but then again it could make an interesting pair. What really throws me off is the movie itself, I would have never expected it to be made into a movie.
http://scott47.wordpress.com/

JD Anderson Dayton, Ohio   October 13th, 2007 4:32 pm ET

It's amazing how some people feel threatened by the idea of a movie loosely based on a politician who didn't win. Whatever happened to free speech? Let them make the movie and let the public decide if it's worth seeing. Ideas don't kill people unless you kill the idea before it is heard.

sue baker   October 13th, 2007 5:10 pm ET

I hope the movie shows how Dean went from media golden boy to 700 re-plays of a distorted campaign rally after Dean announced that he would break up the media monopoly.

Will it show how the Democratic establishment threw enormous energy into smearing him too?

Dean was too populist/anti-corporatocracy for the elites of both parties. Watch what they will do to Edwards if he gets traction.

Bertha Stevens, Swanton, MD   October 13th, 2007 5:20 pm ET

Cheeze! Is this website populated with Bushniks and neocons??? Go find your own website! I happen to think it would be a great movie, and it could show how the Washington loop was SO VERY AFRAID that Dean might win that they rigged the media coverage against him. They did not want a man whom they couldn't control! I saw a story about him in Newsweek and it was accompanied by a photo of him looking cross and mean. I read the story, and there was nothing at all that would fit the picture (half-page) they were trying to push on us. Why use that picture? And his loud cheer was accompanied by others cheering just as loud, but the other voices were xed out. Democrats like Carville and McAuliffe also wanted him out. That would make interesting dialogue.

Rojelio, Palo Alto, CA   October 13th, 2007 5:24 pm ET

There's a story there. The corporate media would have been rendered obsolete if Dean was brought to power by the efforts of internet grassroots. He was assassinated by the terribly unfair news coverage.

Joe, Medford OR   October 13th, 2007 8:01 pm ET

I think a much moire gripping movie could be made about an idiot from Texas who steals the election and following a terrorist attack, with help from his henchmen conspires to steal as many of American's civil rights as possible, cuts taxes for the rich and then starts a war based on false pretenses.

Chris, Middletown, CT   October 13th, 2007 9:29 pm ET

Joe
We could make a movie about a party that has a cult like following - they seem to use some form of mind control to make them forget their part in the war….they seem to think that Bush made up the intelligence reports that he shared with the Democrats…- yet - you have no proof of that…or anything else you guys say….it seems like one moron makes something up…and the rest follow (i.e. cult like) - now thats would be a great movie…if we weren't living it in the blogs….let me make something up…and we'll see if it sticks…."Hillary invested one thousand dollars in the commodities market…and turned it into 100K without insider trading….something that has never been done before….or after" - wait…that one is true…let me think some more…

Mary Beth, Houston, TX   October 14th, 2007 1:34 am ET

I would be first in line to see it. What a different world it would if Howard Dean had become president.

Tom Dedham, Mass   October 14th, 2007 12:30 pm ET

Cheeze! Is this website populated with Bushniks and neocons??? Go find your own website!

Democrats like Carville and McAuliffe also wanted him out. That would make interesting dialogue.

So Bertha, Carville and McAulifee both high placed liberal, lying Democrats pushed this guy out, but the Bushniks and neocons have no right to speak on the MSM and your OWN party for doing the dirty work?

steve San Diego ca   October 14th, 2007 12:42 pm ET

This could be a great
politiical study

It can depict how the Ruplican-Democratic dual head machine spent 100
million dollars in Iowa to derail democracy and insure their hand pick
fall guy Mike Dukakis on no John Kerry was assured the nomination, how
CNN and Fox took an audio feed with the crowd noise edited out and
played it 10,000 times in 24 hours.

GO Hillary the corporate queen

 Bush/Clinton/Bush/Clinton?bush  let corporate
aristocricy rule<br /

Carole Mills, San Rafael, CA   October 14th, 2007 1:38 pm ET

Cool!!! As a former Deaniac, I have only one question: Is Brad Pitt or Matt Damon going to play Howard Dean?

A. Citizen, Vote, America   October 14th, 2007 4:45 pm ET

Bravo.

Dean created more excitement and energy on a grass root basis than any candidate.

I'm sure the movie will show what we all know…… the current primary system is a complete and utter failure. It gives too much power to a few states and quite frankly, I'm sick of Iowa, New Hampshire and now Nevada and South Carolina.

When exactly do the voters get to elect the next President?

Heavy C, Easton, PA   October 14th, 2007 4:56 pm ET

Haley Comet

you win. +1

Bon, Salina, KS   October 14th, 2007 5:10 pm ET

Having just seen George Clooney's new movie "Michael Clayton" (about corporate greed) I can honestly tell you I will see every movie he is involved with for the rest of my born days! Wow!

A. Thomas, New York, NY   October 14th, 2007 7:00 pm ET

Hillary is not Howard Dean of 2004 because:

(a) Hillary has much better campaign machine and surround herself with experieced election and political people including bill clinton (best strategist ever);

b) Hillary has raised most funds (firing power)to get her messages across;

c) This is the clintons' 3rd bid for president, winning the previous two;

d) the other dem and rep candidates are light weights and few have foreign political experience;

e) The clintons were successful in countering republican attacks during the clinton admin and came out as one of the best popular president ever. Bill Clinton left office with a job-approval rating of 66%. Three-quarters of Democrats, and 53% of voters in general, would like him to play an active role in a future Clinton administration. Nearly nine in ten Democratic voters (88%) express a positive view of Hillary's candidacy; 38% express a very positive view.

(f) Hillary does not need to paint the whole america blue, and all she needs to do is to win one more state than john kerry.

(g) Hillary is leading in all state primaries (except Illinois) over Obama and Edwards by a big margin.

(h) Hillary has experience to make responsible and realistic changes, and has heart and passion for public service.

i) Half of the American voters are women (most of which have indicated to vote for Hillary).

j) Hillary has obtained at least half, if not more, black supports than obama. Nearly 3 times more black women have indicated to vote for hillary.

three one one , ny   October 14th, 2007 8:30 pm ET

George Clooney is a textbook example of an elitist liberal. When he didn't like people looking at him in Italy at the basketball court in town, he built a wall and erected a basketball court on his private property. He thinks he can buy his way out of anything. He reeks of snobbishness and hypocrisy like Al Gore (who thinks he can buy his carbon credits to pay for the guilt of using a private jet and thousands of kilowatts of power in his mansions .)

Conan Carey, Nagoya, Japan   October 15th, 2007 9:09 am ET

Dean's campaign had all the poetry and poignancy of any of history's great lost causes. The film could be like a contemporary "Braveheart." Or perhaps he is more like Ireland's Charles Stewart Parnell, brought down by the ruthless media noise machine that blew his loss in Iowa out of proportion. May Clooney and DiCaprio devise a fitting artistic tribute to this profile in American courage who tried to supplant the worst president in American history and put an end to his insane war of attrition. Or aren't the deaths of one million innocent civilians enough? Bush's body count puts Saddam Hussein to shame.

Terry B. Brauer, Portland, OR   October 15th, 2007 11:46 am ET

Excellent utilization of resources! Films about the Iraq Debacle, healthcare crises, decimation of America's middle-class, manipulation of the news media … much less important than Howard Dean's rise and fall.

Chris Boeres   October 15th, 2007 2:19 pm ET

Howard Dean as Citizen Kane, who'd have thunk?

G, Chicago IL   October 16th, 2007 7:44 am ET

This would be an excellent movie, if done right. It has great potential to expose the evils of corporate media outlets. The fact that so many previous comments reference the "rwaaahh!" as the potential focus of the movie proves the media was successful in destroying Dean's character without looking like an assassin.

Right is wrong, San Jose, CA   October 18th, 2007 7:17 pm ET

Wow, reading the comments and realized there are whole bunch (wow again!) of rethugs and neo-cons here working hard. Really wish them go to HELL soon and take their Bush with them (Pleeease!!!) Lighten up guys! Just a movie. What are you neo-cons afraid of??? After all, Dean is ALWAYS right even he did not win!

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