NEWS:

10/19/07 - My report on the premiere at the Apollo

9/8/07 - The NY Times Fall Movie Preview: Josh Brolin (AG) as an up and coming actor. American Gangster itself is in the list for November 2 releases, and there is a full page ad for AG, the great black and white one of the two stars.

8/24/07 - Thanks to flakeroo, the new (and excellent) trailer for American Gangster at Empire on line

6/6/07 -Comments from on line sites on the AG trailer - Thanks, Cindy

5/16/07 - Soundtrack.net: Scoring American Gangster - Thanks, Maria

JoBlo has posters for AG HERE - Thanks, Cindy and ezbiscuit

4/25/07 - Variety: 'Gangster' puts hit on gentrification -- Harlem streets run gamut from clean to mean - Thanks, flakeroo

11/14/06 - The Latino Review - script review for AG (first draft): "...We meet Frank and Bumpy Johnson at a Fedco discount store where Bumpy has his heart attack and passes away in Frank's arms.   After Bumpy's funeral, which is attended by New York's dignitaries, we meet Richie Roberts in his law class.   He then goes on a bust and hurts his hand.   We've seen the pictures online of Russell Crowe with a bandage on his hand – it is from that scene.   We next meet TANGO who tries to muscle in on Frank now that Bumpy is gone and wants 20% of everything.   Frank doesn't go for it.   Frank leaves and touches down in Bangkok.   He checks into a hotel and goes to the Soul Brothers bar where the clientele is almost exclusively black servicemen on R&R.   Frank watches people get stoned and meets his man in Bangkok who will be his Asian connect – IKE." - Thanks, Steph

11/7/06 - People on line - Cuba Gooding Jr. as a 70s pimp

10/28/06 - The NY Times: Gross National Product: The Heroin Trade's New Face -- Long article on American Gangster in Sunday's Times - with two pictures - Thanks, Allison, Tamara, Steph (Free registration required)

10/14/06 - The UK Times: (Scott) - He's back on vintage form - "Which way will his next film — the reason we are having to meet in New York — go? Called American Gangster, it’s a 1970s crime flick with Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington playing, respectively, a fearless narcotics officer and a famous Harlem gangster. What can viewers look forward to? He answers, confidently, with two words. “Denzel. Russell.” - Thanks, Steph, tamara, Cindy, Allison

bski at Crowe's Crossing has her tale of being an extra on AG

9/22/06 - An extra's report on filming

9/20/06: My report from yesterday's filming is HERE

Hello! Magazine: Russell and Denzel have a laugh on Gangster set - Thanks, Steph [ed note: A friend pointed out to me re my visit to the set that it isn't every day when one Academy Award winner introduces you to another Academy Award winner!

9/14/06 - From Cindy: Box Office Mojo has a release date of November 2, 2007 for AG.

The Times Record Herald: Film Crews roll out to Stewart -- Newburgh NY — Andy Velez got the callback on Monday. Universal Studios wanted him to play the role of the guy who unlocks the school building so Russell Crowe can set up his headquarters inside and track down Denzel Washington. - Thanks, Steph

8/22/06 - The Hollywood Reporter - Rappers join Crowe, Washington -- "...RZA, a member of rap collective the Wu-Tang Clan, will be one of Crowe's partners, who is an expert in surveillance. T.I. and Common will play members of Washington's drug empire. Ejiofor will play Washington's brother. Ortiz will play Crowe's undercover partner who becomes a junkie and a murderer."

Thanks to Nicole, a head shot of the elusive Roxanne Amandez (AG)

Reuters: [Josh]Brolin joins Scott's Gangster -- "Brolin will play crooked NYPD cop Det. Trupo, a greedy narcotics investigator who piggybacks on Roberts' investigation in order to bleed Lucas dry" - Thanks, All

People Magazine 8-21-06 - Thanks to a few fans

Four pages of new AG set pictures from WENN (Including a couple with Radio Man) - Thanks, Laurie

MTV.com: T.I. To Star With Oscar Favorites Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe - Thanks, Maria (According to this article, Common, a Chicago MC, has been added as Washington's brother) - Here is a link to his site -- From the SuperFly article -- "...A bespectacled man now in his early fifties, Shorty followed Frank to Harlem in 1965. "We came up from Carolina in a beat-up car, the brothers and sisters, Mom and Dad, with everything we owned, like the Beverly Hillbillies." From the start, Shorty knew what he wanted. "Diamond rings, cars, women. But mostly it was the glory. Isn't that what most men really dream of? The glory."

Carla Gugino will play Richie's ex-wife.

8/8/06 - Where are they shooting today? - From the IMdb Message Board -- "They are filiming in the bronx today. Saw the crews setting up this morning. Its on Crotona Ave between Fordham road and 187th st. Didnt get to see anyone interesting this morning."

8/7/06 - The IMdb message board for AG today: "On the walk to the subway today, I stopped and watched them film for awhile in McCarren Park. All the streets were lined with 1970's model cars with old license plates, and McCarren Park was filled with period extras. Little kids playing baseball, other people sitting on benches, walking around, and Russell Crowe running lines with some chick while a young boy in a cowboy hat and holster belt stood by. Afterward, Crowe walked over the The Turkeys Nest, or whatever that bar on N. 12th and Bedford is called, and paced out front smoking a cigarette and reading the script out loud to himself, running lines." - Thanks, Maria

Just Jared has large versions of the AG pics - Thanks, Anne A -- and John Hawkes has been added to the cast (Thanks, barbie cat)

8/4/06 - Wireimage has a bunch of AG pics. - Thanks, Brolga

Blackfilm.com has learned that rapper T.I (ATL) , John Ortiz (Miami Vice), RZA(Wu-Tang) and Carla Gugino (Sin City) have joined the cast of "American Gangster", which already stars Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. With Brian Grazer producing, Ridley Scott is directing the picture after Antoine Fuqua left the project a few years ago. "American Gangster" is the story of a 70s-era drug lord who imported his wares through decidedly unpleasant means. T.I will be playing Denzel's nephew in the film. - Thanks, Wilson

More pictures here - from Just Jared

Left -- The Daily Telegraph: Russell on the set of AG -- Thanks, Anne S, Toni

Billboard: T.I. Gets Inside 'American Gangster' - Thanks, Rita

Shooting begins 7/31 in Douglaston Queens

7/29/06 - IMdb: Adrian Washington has been added to the cast of AG. He was a production assistant on Tenderness - Thanks, Allison

The Rapper RZA will play "Jones," an aide to Roberts - Read a 2004 interview with him at Black Film

7/1/06 - AT MovieWeb (5/2/06) - Ridley Scott discusses his producing style, A Good Year with Russell Crowe, American Gangster, The Assassination of Jesse James and Shadow Divers (the long version of the interview) Thanks, barbiecat

From Ivani: American Gangster news, according to a poster at the IMDB -- NYC Film & Theater Permit Office: American Gangster Company: Universal Studios -- Scout: 2/6/06-3/5/06 --- Shoot: 7/5/06-10/27/06.

SFSU Magazine Spring 2006 - Interview with Steve Zaillian

6/23/06 - EW on line Q&A: In the meantime, you're taking another 180-degree turn with American Gangster, about the real-life 1970s drug kingpin Frank Lucas.

CROWE - Yeah, now we're going to get the sledgehammers out and bang some doors down. The Frank Lucas story is pretty well known. Frank took over from a fellow who was a big gangster in Harlem and basically found his own source for drugs, and he cut out the Italian Mob and thereby increased his financial earnings capacity dramatically and also his power base. What we're coming down to with this script is this battle of wits, really, between this gangster and a police investigator.

SCOTT - It's two very interesting characters who are both paradoxical, really. One [played by Crowe] is a cop who's obsessive about doing the right thing and being honest, and at the same time has a private life which is totally f---ed up. On the other hand, you've got a gangster [played by Denzel Washington] who has the life of a middle-class bank manager and yet is shipping heroin from Cambodia and putting it on the streets of New York. It's two quite different characters and yet similar in many respects.

CROWE - The really intriguing thing is that in real life these guys have become friends. The guy who put him away essentially was the only person who was there to meet Frank Lucas when he came out of prison, and they're still in touch on a regular basis now.

6/14/06 - Craig List: Universal Pictures seeking celebrity look alikes for AG - (Now don't everyone rush with their photos! I'm planning to try for Angie Dickinson!) - Thanks, Mary F

6/8/06 - Scituate Mariner (MA): Around Town: Dowd goes 'Gangster' on his next film project -- "Ran into our favorite casting director at Jamie's recently, just in time to say hello and goodbye again, before he headed off to another assignment. For the next six months, Billy Dowd, one of the sweetest, most down to earth guys I know, will be in New York City working on the upcoming film "American Gangster," which starts shooting the end of July. It's Bill's eighth film with director Sir Ridley Scott, his third with actor Denzel Washington and second with costar Russell Crowe - not a bad bunch of coworkers. ..." Thanks, Maria

3/24/06 - Variety: U gets going on 'Gangster' - U, Imagine nab Zaillian for rewrite -- In a seven-figure deal, Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment have rehired Steve Zaillian, this time to rewrite "American Gangster." Studio has also committed to a late July start date for the film to be directed by Ridley Scott and star Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. Brian Grazer is producing....The tide turned when Scott became interested in Zaillian's version and his "Gladiator" star Crowe followed. Grazer also had ties to Crowe after producing "A Beautiful Mind" and "Cinderella Man," and he and Scott persuaded Crowe to play the detective and juggle dates. Crowe is also starring this year with Nicole Kidman in Baz Luhrmann's untitled period epic. - Thanks, Ivani

3/21/06 - The SMH: Acting Giants to Co-Star (AG news and Baz film news) Thanks, Bejay

3/19/06 - The Chicago Sun Times - Interview with Denzel Washington: "... These days, Washington is wrapping up a time-travel romance for director Tony Scott called "Deja vu." Soon, he will star with Russell Crowe in the big-budget film, "American Gangster," about drug dealers. Both are promising projects, but Washington insists it's not all about box office...." - Thanks, Steph -- (Denzel will be on Letterman Tomorrow [Monday]. it will probably be about Inside Man, but he may mention AG)

2/26/06 - Variety a few years ago thanks to Little Boot:

Lawman's tale, too:

Roberts, the detective turned prosecutor, was cut out of Jacobson's article but cut into the movie deal, since his story about working with Lucas to expose the crooked cops and foreign nationals who made drug smuggling possible will be a major part of the movie.

"We became very good friends," said Roberts. "I've been involved in law enforcement all my life, and you sometimes meet special people. I'm not denying what (crimes) Frank did, but he's a very charismatic individual, and people like Joe Lewis worshipped him. Had he been able to get an education, he could have been anything he wanted.

"Because of Frank, we were able to get crooked cops that were numerous in the special narcotics force. Maybe 50 cops were indicted, three committed suicide. All of this couldn't have happened if these guys didn't have their hands out."

2/26/06 -- Crowe flies high - The Sunday Telegraph: IT'S shaping up as a maximus (sorry!) year for Russell Crowe. Not only will he star alongside Our Nic in Baz Luhrmann's Australiana epic, he's in conversation with director Ridley Scott. "Baz is a genius. Where he goes, I'll go," Crowe told me. "I’m in talks with Ridley Scott about a third film together called American Gangster. It will be shot this year in New York." On working with Kidman for the first time, a cheery Crowe said: "Well, it's about time."...