Here are some photos of Brad Pitt arriving at LAX yesterday. We need to encourage him. This outfit is an improvement over much of his casual style from the past year. He’s been wearing a lot of see-through t-shirts and linen pants. Hopefully, that’s over. He’s wearing a pair of khakis that fit him nicely and a great windbreaker. Maybe this is how an Oscar Winner dresses? Please. It also makes him look more like a “hot dad.”
Anyway, Brad is still figuring out his next move now that he’s Oscar Winner Brad Pitt. Or, Brad Pitt, Oscar-winning producer. None of you cared yesterday that he is “circling” a romantic thriller set during World War II, even though it would mean that Brad would be signing on to his THIRD WWII film in five years (and his second in a year). But now it looks like Brad is set to make his next big move as a producer: he’s going to produce a film about the Steubenville rape case.
There aren’t many people who haven’t heard of the Steubenville case. Now it seems that Brad Pitt himself has taken notice. According to Hollywood’s insider blog, The Tracking Board, Pitt’s company Plan B has bought the rights to a Rolling Stone feature ”Anonymous vs. Steubenville,“ which covers the case but mainly focuses on one man named Deric Lostutter: a hacktivist and member of Anonymous (an online vigilante group).
In case you missed the case which dominated the headlines throughout 2013 — it concerned the rape of a 16-year-old girl by two high school football players and the subsequent alleged cover-up that took place involving many members of the small community. The case came to Lostutter’s attention and he began to expose the true story of what happened in Steubenville — offering justice for the victim and garnering attention for the victim’s plight. After the attack on the 16-year-old “Jane Doe,” there had been images and discussion of what happened to her on social-networking sites.
The Rolling Stone article explains how Lostutter, despite never leaving his own home, managed to incite a demonstration in Steubenville. He was also instrumental in bringing to justice the rapists, along with the indictment of the high school superintendent, the elementary school principal, and two high school coaches.
However, his championing of this case has cost Lostutter dearly: He now faces criminal charges himself as a result of his involvement with the hacking group. Amazingly, the rapists were found guilty, but only faced a year in jail, whereas Lostutter could be looking at a 20-year prison sentence. Lostutter has said he posted social media messages, photos, and videos that helped implicate the two boys convicted in the case, Mays and Richmond, but tells Rolling Stone he did not hack to get the information.
This project will be the first Pitt, Dede Gardner, and fellow Plan B producer Jeremy Kleiner have announced since their Best Picture Oscar® win for 12 Years a Slave.
I think the community is still much too raw to deal with a fictionalized account of what went down with that night, and everything that happened afterwards. But! It sounds like this film is focusing on the “hacker” and his actions, which may have been illegal (although he denies it) but were definitely righteous in the long-term. It is flat-out asinine that this guy could get a jail sentence twenty times longer than the actual rapists. Perhaps that’s how Brad feels about it too, and now he has the clout to tell these kinds of stories.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.
Great idea. A story worth telling.
Agreed! Go Brad!
Yep go Brad!
I agree too!
This is wonderful. After CNN mourned the “lost futures” of the poor little rapists, it’s great to see mainstream media take a rational approach to the story.
I think it’s still pretty fresh right now. The actions of those guys that night were disgusting , brutal and humiliating. The actions afterwards from her peers was horrifying. This isn’t entertaining and just thinking about it makes me angry.
Pretty much my thoughts exactly. Some things just don’t need to be made into money-making “entertainment”, no matter which point of view they are showing.
So you don’t think movies about slavery, The Holocaust, domestic violence, child abuse, war, etc. should be made?
wow…that’s not what she’s saying at all, from what I could tell.
seems like she was talking specifically about THIS case.
doofus
Kim1 went to an extreme, but the point is no less valid.
Movies aren’t always for entertainment value. They bring attention to issues. Yes they make money. How does that lessen someone trying to bring a story to the world of a man trying to bring justice to a girl who was attacked and her assailants protected.
The same was often said about WW@ movies and war movies in general.
Not saying her point isn’t valid. It is. Movies about (some) controversial subjects SHOULD be made. And yes, they’ll make money in the process of bring attention to issues. But her post was, IMO, unwarranted, as DJ didn’t say what Kim1 insinuated. Which was the ONLY point I was trying to make.
I think the biggest issue here is that the young victim is still alive and attempting to heal. She has already been through hell, first with the rape and again with her horrible community. This isn’t something that happened a long time ago.Whether the movie focuses on the hacker or not, this will come back on her again. I would hope they talk to her first.
I believe that a movie is a form of storytelling. A good film makes you think and starts a conversation. There are still people who believe what those boys did was ok. This happened a year ago. My concern is for the victim. I absolutely do not want emotions stirred up again to where she could possibly be re victimized again. I don’t believe there has been enough time for the community to reflect on how they responded to this situation.
With time comes clarity and I do not believe that there has been enough time for that.
That’s my thinking too – this is something very terrible and personal to the victim and her family, and decades have not passed. It sounds like it would focus on the hacker’s story, but at the core of it is still the victim’s story, and I can’t imagine her or her family being OK with this.
There is a time and place for films that tell the brutal truth, but I don’t think this is one of them.
Well, even if this story is on the table, it still might take years to ever make it into a theatre.
I think Brad is probably interested in this topic partly due to Angelina’s movie and campaign — to show that rape doesn’t happen in just far away places — it’s an issue here too.
I sincerely hope they handle this story with the care and attention it deserves because it could be a beautiful, emotionally wrenching, and thoughtful film OR something quite different. But my guess is this will be handled with the sensitivity it deserves.
I hope I’m correct and I also hope it shows how crappy we treat rape victims and glorify rapists.
I think it’s a good idea if handled correctly-especially because it’s still fresh. But i feel the focus should be on the attackers, the cover up and the hacktivists. NOT the victim-she’s been through enough. But if we CAN publicize this type of thing over and over highlighting the hypocrisy and the victim blaming culture and the cover ups,. and that it shouldn’t be tolerated, I think it’s a wonderful thing. It’s all in the way it’s handled. And I have faith form watching Brad and Angelina that they WOLD treat this right. With respect and dignity.
I’ve read the Rolling Stone piece in which the film will be based and as winosaurusrex has said, the focus of story will be on Deric Lostutter, the “online vigliante,” not the victim. The reason why Deric’s story is equally compelling is because he not only brought the case to the public’s attention, but I believe he received more jail time than the rapists. There’s SO much to this case. I can understand the interest in making a film on this. It’s irresistible if you’re a storyteller.
This.
The victim isn’t even twenty, and her attorney is on record as saying she just wants to be left alone now to rebuild her life with some modicum of privacy. She’s been through hell, and given the personal cost to her of taking this to court (the boys were so popular, many of her own best friends sided with them once she went to the police, and basically made out she “asked for it” despite her being unconscious at the time) I think she’s a heroine, too. It shouldn’t be made this soon after the events in question without her blessing. And as I remember her asking that donations people tried to make to her personally should go to a rape survivor’s charity near her, or one local to the donor, I hope Pitt is intending to offer to make a chunky donation to that refuge and counselling service in her area, too. Because it would show her the respect her actions – in standing up for other potential future victims of these boys – has earned.
It’s an important story and I completely get why Pitt wants to tell it. I just think it would be good if he ensured the primary victim was on board, too, and had some sort of input. Or there’s a risk of her being revictimised, I think.
i’d love to be a fly on wall in Steubanville this morning. i believe this ties into Angelina Jolie’s work with rape victims. good on Brad for looking at this.
I said the same thing. But my comment is in moderation land.
“It is flat-out asinine that this guy could get a jail sentence twenty times longer than the actual rapists”
—————————————————————————————————————
Totally agree with that, so if this film can go someway to righting that injustice then fair play to Plan B.
Actually the next film up for Plan B is a film called Selma about which is going to be directed by an African American woman. I think that Brad and his company are making some really interesting choices in regards to the material that they want to produce.
The rapists also got off lightly because of family connections, I hope that aspect gets it’s due in the film. Well, family connections *and* our bizarre national attitude towards rape. I really hope an effort like this film will cast a bright spotlight on the issue of rape in general, it’s been getting out of hand.
Lolo,
I think it’s always been out of hand and more people are seeing how skewed crap is. It’s beyond outrageous how victims are treated by society.
@ladyslippers
It is outrageous. I had to hide quite a long time before telling to the outside world I was a rape survivor. World makes the victims feel like they should be ashamed of what they have ‘done’ instead of putting the blame on rapists.
Hiddles forever, I admire your bravery.
Agreed LadySlippers, but I feel like it’s become codified into athletic team behavior at this point. Years of school athletes enjoying a privilege to the point where the institutions have incorporated standard work-arounds for around these behaviors, rather than trying to obliterate them.
I truly had never heard of the Steubenville rape case until I watched a Youtube video by Laci Green about consent to sex and she broached the topic.
WHAT. THE. F*CK.
Who behaves like that?!! And the media’s reaction; It was “Incredibly difficult . . . to watch what happened as these two young men that had such promising futures . . . literally watched as they believed their lives fell apart.”
Who the hell cares?! They sexually assaulted someone, why the hell are you offering them sympathy?
The mind boggles.
*breathes*
Sorry about that. I just can’t. I don’t really recall this being covered in a great deal of detail in the British media (if it was, I must not have been paying attention I’m ashamed to say.) The whole thing touches on a raw nerve.
Whilst I think it would be interesting to focus on the ridiculous disparity in potential sentences between the rapists and the hacker, barely two years have passed. A little too soon, even for an announcement, IMO.
But this is why I think it should be done, I bet a lot of other people hadn’t heard of it either. The world needs to be informed because this sort of thing has been happening with all too much frequency in America. “Rape culture” has been getting out of control, I’m kinda baffled by just how out of hand it’s gotten in recent years. Hopefully a major picture will bring with it some important discussions as well.
Agree. 100%.
It’s not just a rape culture as you say — I think it’s bigger than that. It’s a total ‘blame the victim’ culture. And it encompasses a lot of crimes against women, not just rape.
If it’s any small consolation, I recently saw a post somewhere on a news article about a rape victim setting her rapist on fire, and the comments were hilarious. Things like, “he must have been asking for it, wearing such flammable clothing.” I like to think the absurdity of victim blaming is not lost on most, though that may be overly optimistic.
I feel you Amelia. When I heard about the case, I couldn’t believe the victim blaming. I felt like I was in a bad movie where I’m the only character trying to make sense and everyone around me has lost their effing minds.
My God yes, the victim blaming. All those ‘journalists’ falling over themselves in sympathy for the poor little rapists. I had to do some meditation and deep breathing exercises during all the coverage of that case – my blood pressure was going through the roof from rage.
Is it too soon? Maybe but it is a story that needs to be told. Rape culture is insidious and horrifying and this film just might help spread awareness.
Depressing isn’t it how far we still have to go as a society?
I’m almost glad I didn’t see the coverage immediately following the incident/sentencing. The things I’ve read, I just can’t wrap my head around it. FFS.
Lots of crazy shit happens in small communities. Look at The West Memphis Three.
RE: WM3. I was thinking the same thing. Honestly, the three young men involved with that case would likely never have been released from their false imprisonment if that team hadn’t made the documentaries re: the case.
Mind you, Plan B doesn’t appear to ne interested in making a *documentary*, but still. People need to see these types of films..lest we all overlook what is happening in our culture. Anything that can shed light on the topic is geberally a good thing.
That said, I do worry about the victim. I would hope that this wouldn’t go forward unless she was for it. The idea that she would have to watch this all re-hashed in the media circus that surrouds Brad and Angie? Not sure how to feel about that part.
I see your logic Lolo-ology, and as others have mentioned in the thread, those involved in the cover-up should be brought to rights, but what makes me worry is how the victim and her family will feel about this.
Screw the town, the school, the administrators – how must that vulnerable teen feel about this?
Love Laci Green; have never seen anyone else reference her videos, which are so refreshingly honest, especially re: women’s rights. The Rolling Stone article is actually more about the hacker, Deric Lustutter, than about the actual rape case. It covers other OPs that he initiated as an KYAnonymous. So my feeling is that the theme would be about victimizing whistle blowers/hackers who try to fight for justice in otherwise corrupt political and legal cases. But, then again, who knows how a story is changed by H-Wood. Also, Lustutter was never indicted, just investigated, so it’s speculative to suggest he is facing any prosecution or even jail time.
I’ve never heard of her — I’ll have to check her out.
She’s awesome, really funny and eloquent about lots of important topics.
I first read about it here when Serena williams defended them. I googled on and was shocked, and saddened, and disgusted.
I also don’t understand the insane glorification of high school athletes in America. Promising futures? They weren’t some science prodigis who would go on to save the world ( and if they were that wouldn’t mean anything). They were monsters and their future should be ruined.
What did Serena say?
Exactly!
Any time any young person commits a heinous crime for the (presumably) first time, and gets caught we could technically say “Oh what wasted potential”! Why is it that when a 17 year old robs a liquor store and accidentally shoots the employee there dead–we aren’t falling over ourselves worrying about how the kid “ruined his future”? Then he is just a little punk or a bad seed. It only seems to happen that way in these rape cases. WHY? Because all too often in rape cases, there is blame placed on the victim—so the rapist comes off as sdomeone that didn’t QUITE do such a bad thing all on their own. It is ridiculous.
The Steubenville cases was filled with social media commentary and witnesses to it too. To me that made it seem even more heinous. (I mean, that sounds stupid–ALL rape is heinous–but I guess my poorly made point is that this case had extra added bonus vileness thrown in—and still–the media was wringing it’s hands over the RAPISTS) So frustrating and scary.
Whenthey were sentenced CNN did a big piece on what a tragedy it was for these promising young lives and how moved the reporter was for them. Not a single reference to what the events had done to the victim. Jaw-dropping. They even named the victim in the piece (thankfully edited later). I couldn’t believe it – it was like that Onion satire, on how a promising young college athlete managed to overcome the hardship and trauma of having raped someone.
http://www.theonion.com/video/college-basketball-star-heroically-overcomes-tragi,19097/
Our culture is all kinds of f’ed up when it comes to violence against women. Depressing as hell when a satire on media representations of sexual violence favouring convicted offenders is proven as accurate by a national tv broadcast.
This is an excellent project! Am in full support of it! And to think the hacker got ten years! Sometimes the judicial system works in very mysterious ways! And good on Brad for picking this up. I love the fact that all his project are great and matters that touch people.
Sorry meant to say I can’t believe he is facing 20years in jail. Whew how sad.
I think this film will bring in really important discussion into how they treat sexual assault victims in America and in the world.. and how countless people were more sad about the careers of the rapists, which was absolutely ridiculous.
I followed Lostutter on Twitter through the Steubenville saga and the guy was amazing. I’m glad he is getting such high profile support – from both Rolling Stone and Pitt.
Edit: …Then again, a quick search shows he might be MUCH dicier than I understood. Interesting.
It’ll be a couple years, minimum, before any movie he’s looking at now will be in theaters. I think that by then, it won’t seem too soon. Pitt is someone I trust to take this seriously, and I think it’s a story that’s worth telling.
Lunchie,
Did you lose your avatar?
I said the same thing, I think he’ll do this story justice. I wouldn’t be surprised of Angelina directs.
My phone doesn’t seem to like sandwiches for some reason, LadySlippers! Maybe it’s trying to tell me something!
I’d enjoy Angelina’s take on this material. I suspect she’s learned a lot about sexual assault over all her years of charity work, and I think she could steer the story toward being insightful rather than merely sensational. We have so, so many movies that use rape as a cheap thrill or as a plot device. It would be nice to for once have one address it as the serious problem that it is.
By the time the movie is produced obviously more time will have passed but I say hit Go. Don’t let this case have too much downtime. Let’s not forget the atrocious cover up to this horrible crime. I don’t care if the town isn’t comfortable… it was a sub-cultural attitude that allowed the cover up to happen. And of course hopefully the movie will show the absolutely mind-boggling thinking that deems it right that a guy who worked to expose this is the one facing real jail time for essentially being a whistle blower.
@feebee – I don’t care if the town isn’t comfortable… it was a sub-cultural attitude that allowed the cover up to happen.
Totally agree. Maybe seeing itself and the awful way that it behaved in covering up this crime, will give this town real pause for thought and might lead to some attitude changes there when it comes to issues like these.
Who cares if the town isn’t comfortable? As far as I’m concerned, the town is a dog who pooped on the carpet and deserves to have its nose rubbed in its poo for a while.
I agree. Could care LESS about the feelings of the town OR the rapists. All should be held accountable for their part in this horrendous crime.
And Algernon, I get your point but I can sympathise with most dogs, even when they mess on my floor. I gots NO sympathy for anyone aiding and abetting a rapist — and that’s how I’d classify the town and CNN here. Is there another analogy that says what you were trying to say but also conveys the horror of the crime?
Yeah, as soon as I hit “submit” I thought, “You know, I wouldn’t actually rub my dog’s face in his poo.” But it’s still kind of the best analogy. They should just have to stare at the horror of what they did, as a collective, and deal with it. They don’t just get to pretend it away.
I kinda knew that you were fishing for something but even I couldn’t come up with anything.
I hope this is true as it’s such an important story to tell. Too many “Stuebenvilles” are happening and not taken seriously.
I think its great that Brad Pitt and Plan B are producing movies that many big companies are scared of financing.
Yes this true story is still fresh in people’s minds and some might not want to refresh those memories. But at the same time this movie can make more people aware of the injustice done to the victim and how the rapists only got 1 year jail. Many people outside US really don’t know this case and this movie can change that.
I agree. Brad is really showcasing Plan B as the agency for compelling storytelling and filmmaking. He’s taking on stories Hollywood’s afraid to touch and I applaud his efforts in doing so. TYAS, Selma and now Anonymous vs Steubenville are all important and powerful stories, not to mention the documentaries he’s produced on his own (God Grew Tired of Us, The House I Live In and Big Men). Following Plan B’s trajectory over the next several years will be very exciting to watch. I for one prefer these types of films to the typical Hollywood fare.
It took years for “12 Years a Slave” to be made and it will probably be a while before this one comes to pass as well.
I think it’s amazing that both Brad and Angelina are tackling the topic of rape from two different sides of the same coin – good for them. Brad is looking at some amazing projects and doing good work on both TV and in the movies as far as Hollywood goes. We all know the good works he does elsewhere (and I’m sure there are plenty we don’t know about).
And on a totally and completely gossipy note – is that a new “band” on his right hand or have I just never noticed it before?
The band is new–generally he wears this ring, a lot–
http://www.celebitchy.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/ring-closeup.jpg
I’m pretty sure it’s the same ring that Diane Sawyer asked him, where he got it from–and he said it was a freebie.
Think the film idea is excellent. Plan B seems to want to tackle difficult issues and I applaud them for that and Brad seems to like showcasing talent that would otherwise not be on the front burner. Using that young African American woman to direct a big film (Selma) is forward thinking. They are casting it now, so it should be done in a year I would say.
As for the ring, the one he started wearing in 2005 had a big hole in the center, so the ring in this photo is not the same one. He has worn this one before though in the past few months I would say.
Probably his engagment ring 🙂
Buying the rights doesn’t mean a movie is getting made anytime soon, or ever.
I have an author friend who’s sold the rights to all his books, sometimes based on just the synopsis. None have been turned into movies, they probably never will be. Most A-list actors, even those who don’t really produce, own the rights to a few things. It doesn’t mean anything until pre-production actually starts, people just rush to get the rights to something so they have the option of doing something with it. Plan B would have the rights to a ton of stuff, only some of it will actually be used.
I hope the movie also shows how the media, CNN’s coverage especially, treated this case.
Yep. CNN was absolutely despicable in this case.
That’s interesting. I’m not familiar with the case, so can you elaborate more about the CNN coverage? (CNN is no longer my go-to channel for news coverage. I’ll watch BBC and Aljazeera, especially now since the latter already airs in the US).
CNN was very sympathetic to the athletes. Boo hooing over “talented, young men with bright futures” being ruined and never focusing on the horror of the act of rape or even trying to post stories about her ordeal. Candy Crowley was THE WORST.
Ah! Thank you.
Horrible, horrible part at the CNN.
This case and the cover up involved still disgust me. Really makes you wonder about the people we trust our children to in the school systems (not mine but a general “our”).
So vile how schools value athletes and their programs more than they value moral integrity and the law.
I hope the movie gets going. The sooner, the better.
I think this is such an important film to be made.
Firstly, Rape is an issue we need to be openly dealing with. And when you find out out what actually happened in Steunbenville, you’ll see how this is an important case study on Rape.
Secondly, The “Whistleblower’ phenomenon that’s happening also needs understanding. It can be a grey area, even though in my opinion there isn’t as much moral complexity for Lostutter, what he did was righteous.
And it won’t be “too fresh’. As the film will probably come out earliest, mid-2015, if indeed it is the Pitt’s next great Oscar contender. But i think a film like this needs to be topical. Making it dated won’t do justice to the film’s topics…
Good idea Mr Pitt
I don’t think I’d watch it, but if it starts discussions at high schools it’s a worthy project. Plenty of future high school students don’t know about this case.
I say go for it. When transcripts were released of what they did to that young girl, my blood boiled. She was underage drinking so she was asking for it. They are teenage boys and that is just how they are. WTF!!!!! I hope all involved in the crime, with the exception of the victim, coverup and CNN get crucified and be ashamed to show their faces in public.
If I am not mistaken, was this the case where their were 3 football players involved and one was black and got a stronger sentence than the other two.
Tiffany. .everything about the case is sickening. I truly don’t think I could sit through it but I do hope it’s produced at a pg-13 level and made available to young teens.
There were only two defendants in this case .The Black football player received a shorter sentence because he was 16, a juvenile.There have been lots of cases of football ball players accused of rape.
A LOT of athletes are accused of rape — not just American football players. So why is it we keep blaming the women when there’s clearly an issue with the athletes?!????
I find the victim blaming so frustrating. If that particular victim hadn’t been drinking, it’s more than likely her rapists would have assaulted another girl. If no women ever drank, rapists would choose their victims from among the most vulnerable sober women. The problem is people who think they can use other people’s bodies sexually without their consent and with other people who excuse those actions, not with high school girls who (gasp! shocking!) drink alcohol.
Ugh that’s what I hate. Because I guess a lot of people don’t seem to realize that when they’re saying ‘Don’t wear tight clothes. Don’t get drunk’, etc, to a woman–as a defense against rape (like that will magically protect them from getting raped), that does nothing to solve the problem. Should a woman (heck, everyone) be more careful about how much they drink, when they’re at a party? Yes. But that doesn’t give a man the excuse and justification to rape someone who is drunk, and it shouldn’t even be brought up. How often is it brought up in a murder trial that the victim was drunk, and that is used to get the murderer off?
“The Black football player received a shorter sentence because he was 16, a juvenile.”
Both Ma’lik Richmond and Trent Mays were 16 yo sophomores at the time of the crime. The rape testimony against Trent wasn’t as strong as against Ma’lik because Jane Doe wasn’t yet unconscious when Trent digitally penetrated her. (The rape by Trent happened in the back of a car and the witnesses said she was talking. The rape by Ma’lik happened when she was passed out in the basement of the third party.) However, Trent received the harsher sentence because of the extra charge for having an unclothed image of her on his phone.
Kim, it is a sad state of affairs that this happens so often that you cannot even keep the stories straight.
With Angelina tackling war time rapes. And brad producing this movie of Internet activism for a rape victim it seems the couple are really trying to push this issue main stream. It shouldn’t be hushed up. It should be taken seriously. Bravo!
Bravo indeed.
Who woulda thunk it that Brad would be tackling slavery and rape today — back in his pin-up days?!? Not me.
I feel like this should be a documentary, not a based on a true story movie.
The problem is no one on the rapists side or the ones covering up would talk. It would be more a profile on the victim, who no doubt is not wanting to relive this hideous nightmare again.
They could do a documentary without having the victim come forward if they continued to focus on the hacker’s pov.
Great decision, now bring Fincher on board as director and voilà!
You have got to be kidding me. The rapists face a year in jail and Lostutter faces twenty?!?! If the victim was my daughter those two boys would have at least one bullet in their brains and Lostutter would be mysteriously kidnapped and set free somewhere warm and beautiful.
Agreed.
And I’d happily be sitting in jail.
My thoughts exactly!!
A lot of these comments are reminding me if the du Pont grandson who raped his 6 year old daughter (I think that was her age) and will face no jail time because the judge didn’t think he would fare well in prison. How are these people not disbarred and strung up in the public? Disgusting and beyond shameful
When I read this headline, I immediately began wondering- told how? The images of those animals hauling that semi-conscious girl around like she was a sack of garbage- it was horrible enough on an IPhone- I cannot fathom it on a movie screen. I can see it being told from the standpoint of galvanizing public opinion and bringing attention to this situation.
The film will probably focus on the hacker, the cover up, maybe the hacker’s trial not so much the rape.
Totally not too early. Especially with the hacker serving a longer sentence and still in jail. Plus, Hollywood movies take forever to make so this could be 5-7 years before we even see it in the theaters.
These stories need to be told. Those that shamed the victim and did the covering up need to be put to shame and have the spotlight put on them.
Yup.
+1trillion
If I was Brad, I’d be listing their names at the beginning of the movie.
That poor girl deserves justice and closure. If she’s ok with it, then I say it’s never too early to tell such a story. The people in that town, and in particular those idiot boys, need to pay for what they’ve done. Everytime I think of that case it makes me insanely angry.
Tell the story now. While I understand the community is raw as this is so fresh, but that’s what helps to get the story told. The entitlement and blame the victim mentality is rampant everywhere in this country; I want my daughters and sons to be aware of the dangers and to know they will be held accountable.
That whole thing was despicable – from the rape itself, to the coverup by virtually EVERYONE, to the outright media bias towards the rapists and the victim blaming/victim shaming. This sounds like it would be a great movie to shine the light on the horrific attitude about sexual assaults and blame the victim, not the criminal. I also don’t care how uncomfortable it makes the people responsible, but if they just bought the rights, then it will be a while before it gets made since they still have to write it, cast for it, etc.
I wonder if Angelina would direct it…?
I’m sorry, but who cares if the community is still raw! The people who supported those monsters and tried to hide the rape need to be publically shamed! They had no issues with the public shaming of a victim so why should they get to play that card!?!? I’m from that area and will never return because of this. I’m ashamed to even be from there now!
Like a lot of these stories, I’ll wait till I see the movie before I react. Buying some source material isn’t uncommon and the final product may have little to do with the news stories and the real situation.
To everyone who thinks there was a cover-up, please read the New Yorker article by Ariel Levy.
Jane Doe’s parents made a report to the Steubenville police, and within a week, the local prosecutor moved to have the 16-yo suspects tried as adults for rape and kidnapping and requested a special prosecutor. (The non-local judge would later throw out the kidnapping charges and deny the motion to try them as adults.)
Anonymous inserted themselves later by posting a photo and video that the police already had.
The only thing Anonymous did was to slander a lot of innocent people (the local prosecutor, her son, the guy who ran a local fan site) and intimidate witnesses. Deric Lostutter wrongfully accused the fan site guy of child pr0n and published an unredacted copy of the court transcripts, which contained Jane Doe’s name.
Good for him! I’m not a fan (but have nothing against him either) but this could convert me. I love the idea of a guy getting behind telling this story. I was raped at 34, and it screwed with my head for years (still sometimes – I once went off on my fiancé for gently pushing me aside so he could get through a door. I was all, “Don’t you EVER touch me like that again, I’m not a piece of furniture!” He didn’t know what hit him until I explained). I can’t imagine going through that at the age of 16.
My heart goes out to Shannon. I think this story should be told. I hate the victim blaming and slut shaming we do to women. How about instead of only concentrating on telling women how to avoid rape, we also tell our boys NOT TO RAPE! I could go on and on. But I’ll spare y’all my total rant. 🙂 see I’m old enough and educated enough to understand who Gloria Steinem was and what being a feminist actually means. 🙂
I think it’s pretty shitty since the victim is recovering from her 2nd suicide attempt and may have permenent brain damage, hasn’t she been exploited enough?
I knew the Maryville teen attempted suicide Also her house was torched.When did the Steubenville teen attempt suicide?
A story worth telling, but I feel sick for the victim.
I think its time for everyone to move on and let this rape case rest. It is over and was brought to justice by the legal system. The Ohio Valley needs to heal and move forward. This entire process went on far to long, yes valuable lessons were learned but it is time to move on and let everyone heal from all this drama that was played out everyday for at least a year on the news and in the local newspapers. I am proud of the Ohio Valley and I am just not sure if Hollywood would portray the story and local area in factuality.
A similar and equally disturbing case is the Reatah Parsons case in Canada. Not sure if I spelled her name correctly.
On another note Brad is looking very Robin Thicke. Ugh!
I thought his next project would be The Lost City of Z but this one seems interesting.
I’d watch this shit in a heartbeat over another WWII movie.
Good idea, it is time to stop sexual assaults everywhere ….from pedophiles to the football team to the war time sexual assault on women, men and little boys and girls. Pitt and Jolie need your help, support the survivors so that they all know they aren’t the ones who need to feel the shame. From Jolie and Hague’s trip to Bosnia, interview after speaking with victims of rape. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U46dAznxFF4
Actually, I know Deric and have interviewed him a few times. He’s definitely a fascinating character, and while he has occasionally been a dick, I like the guy. Liking the guy has cost me dearly with some people, though.
The entire town is still (appropriately) very, very upset, and they will not, generally speaking, react well to any movie that focuses on Deric or any Anonymous involvement. After all, a lot of people in town were exposed to international scorn for public statements of support for their football team. “They’re players! We love them! Stop bothering them!” is the mildest example of the kind of thing I’m talking about. Anonymous held them up for ridicule and worse.
Even the people who applaud Anonymous for pushing the investigation have issues with Deric. Like I said, he has been a dick at times, particularly when drinking, but he’s gotten sober and become a lot more serious. The raid on his home completely freaked him out and he was drinking a lot. I won’t go into the story of how he got sober or why, but he did and I have a lot of respect for that. I wish him well.
Oh, and in my somewhat educated opinion, if the prosecutor had any charges he thought would stick, he would have filed charges against Deric by now. He hasn’t and he won’t is my bet. But the fact this is repeated everywhere is a great example of how mediagenic Deric’s story is. Mind you, that’s easy for ME to say; nobody is raiding MY house.
Anyway, just a bit of background on the case.
“The entire town…their football team.”
Okay, as someone who has lived in the area, I feel I need to clarify something that the media has glossed over.
Yes, Steubenville and the surrounding area are completely crazy about high school football. But it is not 100% support for Big Red football. There are actually TWO high schools in Steubenville, plus another high school close by in the neighboring Indian Creek district in Wintersville, where the parties/rapes happened.* And the victim was from a different school across the river. So not everyone from the town considers Big Red to be “their” team. The media ignored these deeply felt local rivalries in favor of a simplistic narrative. There is also a racial divide regarding who goes to what school that the media ignored (the black kids go to Steubenville Big Red).
Very early on in the controversy, someone made a really bone-headed comment on the radio: “They’re just jealous of Big Red football.” Completely insane, right? But I understand that comment because some of the EARLY controversy from locals may have been colored by the local rivalries and the race issue. (“Central grads go to Penn State; Big Red grads go to the state pen…”)
As for Deric Lostutter, while I think he did all harm and no good, I also think that prosecutors are abusing the possibility of long prison sentences to coerce a plea bargain.
*The city of Steubenville did not have jurisdiction on this case. The Jefferson County Sheriffs should have handled the investigation rather than the Steubenville Police. Thankfully, the much more competent Steubenville police was allowed to continue control of the investigation after Jane Doe’s parents filed a report with them.
I think there is an important compelling story here to be told. I’m a huge supporter of the victim and am blown away to see people rise up and get her (some) justice. That said, she’s what, 17 now? She’ll still have ties there if she ever leaves (that’s the nature of the area), and as someone from Steubenville, I’m completely hahahorrified by the idea.
good. make the movie and remind everyone again what these f*#kers did. the rapists, the people who covered up the crime, the people who harassed the victim and her family, all of them. it can’t be too early or too late to tell this story again. shame is the only punishment some of those people are going to face, so bring it on.