Clint Eastwood is reportedly putting together the final movie of his career. The 92-year-old movie legend, famous for making movies as quickly as possible, will likely be made at his preferred studio, Warner Bros. Eastwood’s previous film, Cry Macho, hit theaters in September 2021.
The new movie is tentatively titled Juror #2, reports Discussing Film. The story will center on a juror on a murder trial who suddenly realizes that he may have caused the victim’s death. He has to decide whether to turn himself in or to let himself manipulate the verdict. Casting has not begun and no start date has been set. One source said Eastwood is looking to cast a young Hollywood star.
While Eastwood definitely wants to direct the project, sources told Discussing Film that he is not entirely committed to making this his final movie. Considering he famously makes movies quickly, often filming just one take, and comes in under budget, it’s hard to bet against Eastwood making another movie after turning 93 in May.
Juror #2 would also be the 40th movie directed by Eastwood. He began directing in 1971 with Play Misty For Me and has famously worked in a wide variety of genres. Still, it would be an interesting idea for Eastwood’s final film to be a legal drama instead of a Western, the genre he is so closely associated with.
Eastwood helmed two Best Picture winners, Unforgiven (1992) and Million Dollar Baby (2004), both of which also earned him Best Director Oscars. He also earned Best Director nominations for Mystic River (2003) and Letters from Iwo Jima (2006). Incredibly, the only acting nomination Eastwood has ever received was for Unforgiven. In 1995, he received the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award.
Eastwood’s most recent film was Cry Macho, which hit theaters in September 2021. It cost just $33 million to make, but since it was released in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously, it only grossed $16.5 million at the box office. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav even mentioned the film as an example of a costly flop before the WBD merger was completed.
During a meeting with Warner Bros. studio executives, Zaslav asked why Cry Macho was even made. When they told him it was because of Eastwood’s 50-year relationship with the studio and because of his talent for making movies under budget, Zaslav said the studio didn’t owe anyone anything. “It’s not show friends, it’s show business,” he said, reports the Wall Street Journal. Clearly, that incident isn’t stopping Eastwood from sticking with the studio for what may be the swan song of an unparalleled filmmaking career.