Castingsides

March/April 2007

A user on an acting gig site Showfax, Inc [1] finds a project in Chicago called Rory's First Kiss which is looking for actors. Casting sides, which are usually bits of dialogue taken from the movie's script, could be accessed via the site for $1 each.

Chicago Category: Features Project: RORY'S FIRST KISS Casting Director: JOHN PAPSIDERA

Since Rory's First Kiss is the known working title for The Dark Knight, it was assumed that the casting sides were pieces of the script that were leaked, similar to the way the Batman Begins script was leaked before the movie opened.

Bank heist preparations

EXT. BANK - DAY MASK-WEARING THUGS prepare to break into a bank GRUMPY Four of a kind. Let's do this. Chuckles checks his automatic weapon. CHUCKLES Four guys? That's it? GRUMPY There's two on the roof. Every guy is an extra share. Six shares is plenty. CHUCKLES Seven shares. Don't forget the guy who planned the job. GRUMPY Yeah? He thinks he can sit it out and still take a slice - he's out of his mind. CHUCKLES You gonna tell him that? Grumpy flashes a gun. GRUMPY Right after I put two in his heart. CHUCKLES If you can find his heart. Some say he ain't even human. GRUMPY You mean the chicken shits who believe in ghosts. That you? CHUCKLES Hey, guys harder than the both of us are afraid of him... GRUMPY Look, you wanna hang back and tell scary stories, be my guest. Just means a larger share for me. CHUCKLES You know what? You're onto something. GRUMPY What? Chuckles aims his weapon at Grumpy. CHUCKLES Less guys. Larger shares.

The Signal

EXT. VARIOUS LOCATIONS -- CONTINUOUS A DEALER and a BUYER are in the middle of a transaction. DEALER I want eighty for the bag. BUYER Eighty? It was sixty last week. DEALER Inflation. Ain't it a bitch. The Buyer digs in his pocket. The Signal appears in the air. The Dealer spots it and steps back. DEALER (CONT'D) No, man. I don't like it tonight. BUYER What're you, superstitious? You got more chance of winning the powerball than running into him...

Bank heist

INT. BANK - DAY The MASK-WEARING THUG stuffs cash into his bag as the wounded BANK MANAGER watches him. BANK MANAGER You have any idea who you're stealing from? You and your friends are dead. The thug isn't bothered BANK MANAGER (CONT'D) You idiot. What makes you think the guy who hired you isn't going to kill you, too? The Thug STOPS. Crouches over him. In the distance: SIRENS. GENTLE VOICE Call it a hunch. The man PULLS off his MASK. The Bank Manager GASPS, horrified at the face staring back at him. GENTLE VOICE (CONT'D) It's rude to stare. The bank manager summons his nerve, gritting his teeth. BANK MANAGER What are you? You freak. Criminals in this town used to believe in things. Honor. Respect. What do you believe in, huh? What do you bel- BANG...the THUG puts a bullet into the MANAGER's head.

Mobster and Junkie

EXT. VARIOUS LOCATIONS -- NIGHT The MOBSTER'S BODYGUARD moves to the second SUV, reaches in and drags out a skinny, wild-eyed JUNKIE by his hair. JUNKIE (babbling) No! No get'em off me! Off me! BODYGUARD Shut up. JUNKIE They're all over me! They're crawling in my mouth. BODYGUARD Who sold you the stash? JUNKIE They're going to eat my insides! PLEASE! The Bodyguard whips out a gun. BODYGUARD Come closer. I'm gonna unscrew your brain. DOGS START BARKING. The Bodyguard looks around, scared. BODYGUARD (CONT'D) (nervous) He's here.

Inside Joke

INT. BASEMENT -- NIGHT A blindfolded THUG is handcuffed to a chair in the basement. A COP circles him. COP The Mob used to dump bodies here. They wouldn't be found for months. Maybe years. So tell me, where can I find your boss? The THUG laughs. COP (CONT'D) What's so funny? THUG It's an inside joke. COP Let me in on the laugh. THUG There's no need to find him because... he's gonna find you. The Cop rips off the Thug's blindfold. COP You want to play games?! The Cop pulls his gun and fires a shot over the Thug's head. He then shoves a gun up against the Thug's head with real malice. THUG (rattled) You wouldn't... COP I have. Starting with the knee caps. The Cop shoots the Thug in the knee. THUG (sobbing) I don't know anything. COP You giggle, you poke fun... THUG I'm sorry - I'm sorry... The Cop shoots the other knee cap. The Thug SCREAMS.

Avenger and Vigilante

EXT. ROOFTOP, PARKING GARAGE - MOMENTS LATER THE AVENGER grabs the VIGILANTE and RIPS his mask off. VIGILANTE We're trying to help you! AVENGER I don't need help. VIGILANTE Then stay out of my way! The AVENGER gets right up to the vigilante's face AVENGER Don't let me find you out here again. The AVENGER walks to the edge of the building. VIGILANTE (CONT'D) You need us! There's only one of you - It's a war out there! The AVENGER ignores the VIGILANTE, infuriating him. VIGILANTE (CONT'D) What gives you the right?! What's the difference between you and me?!

Lau Interrogation

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM Lau sits next to his sleazy lawyer, EVANS. The Prosecutor walks in. PROSECUTOR Give us the money and we'll deal. EVANS Deal first. Then maybe we'll talk about the money. Prosecutor leans forward, speaking softly, clearly. PROSECUTOR As soon as they hear you got pinched, they're going to kill you. EVANS Are you threatening my client? PROSECUTOR No, I'm just assuming your client's cooperation with this investigation. As will everyone. So let's cut to the chase. Lau whispers into Evans' ear. Evans nods. EVANS He won't give you the money. But he'll give you his clients. All of them. PROSECUTOR That's pretty brave. I'm surprised. EVANS As you said, let's cut to the chase. But only if he gets to keep the money and is granted immunity. Deal?

Maroni

INT. NIGHTCLUB -- NIGHT Strobe lights. Pounding music. Maroni is in a booth at the side with hs MISTRESS. His bodyguards are around the table. MISTRESS (shouting over music) Can't we go someplace quieter?! We can't hear each other talk! MARONI I don't wanna hear you talk. MISTRESS (can't hear) What?! MARONI You know, you are as stupid as you look. The Mistress smiles. MISTRESS Stupid enough to get you to buy me whatever I want.

Chief and James

EXT. ROOFTOP -- NIGHT The FIGURE LEAPS INTO THE NIGHT - JAMES Why's he running, Dad? The Chief stares. THE CHIEF Because we have to chase him... James look from the window to his father, confused. JAMES He didn't do anything wrong! THE CHIEF It doesn't matter, son. JAMES Why, dad? Why?

I want my phone call

INT. ? THE PRISONER sits, smiling, content. Stephens guards the door. THE PRISONER I want my phone call. STEPHENS That's nice. The Prisoner looks at his hands, which have been cuffed again. THE PRISONER How many of your friends have I killed? STEPHENS I'm a twenty-year man. I can tell the difference between punks who need a little lesson in manners... (crack his knuckles) And the freaks like you who would jut enjoy it. Stephens folds his arms. Turns away. STEPHENS (CONT'D) (quiet) And you killed six of my friends.

Prisoner Ferry

INT. PASSENGER LOUNGE, PRISONER FERRY -- NIGHT A HUGE TATTOOED PRISONER pushes his way to the front. he walks towards the Warden, who is sweating, looking at the trigger. WARDEN Stand down. TATTOOED PRISONER Do you wanna die?! WARDEN I... TATTOOED PRISONER You don't wanna die. But you don't know how to take a life. Give it to me. The Warden looks at the trigger. At the clock. TATTOOED PRISONER (CONT'D) These men will kill you and take it, anyway. Give it to me, you can tell people I took it by force... give it to me and I'll do what you should have done ten minutes ago.

Smile

INT. VACANT ROOM Randolph enters: COPS IN UNDERSHIRTS, bound, gagged, blindfolded. Randolph moves to the first man, RIPS the tape from his mouth. RANDOLPH What happened? TERRORIZED COP (breathing hard) Took...they took our guns, our uniforms... RANDOLPH Who? TERRORIZED COP I don't know. I just remember his... RANDOLPH His what? TERRORIZED COP His smile

My insides hurt

INT. HOLDING, MCU A bunch of thugs are herded into a jail cell. DETECTIVE Look at these ugly bastards. One of the men, walks over, clutching at his belly. FAT THUG I don't feel good. DETECTIVE You're a cop killer. You're lucky to be feeling anything below the neck. FAT THUG (agony) Please. My insides hurt. DETECTIVE Step away from the bars. FAT THUG The boss said he would make the voices go away. He said he would go inside and replace them with bright lights. Like Christmas. DETECTIVE That's great. Please step- The Fat Thug COLLAPSES. The Detective grabs his radio. DETECTIVE (CONT'D) I need a medic in holding.

This is for my wife

INT. POLICE VAN -- CONTINUOUS The Chief looks up sharply. Considers the uniformed cop nervously fingering his shotgun. THE CHIEF Berg, isn't it? The young cop, BERG, looks up. Sweating. BERG Chief? THE CHIEF You okay, son? BERG I'm good, sir. The Chief notices Berg eying the Prisoner and gripping his shotgun. The Chief starts to subtly unholster his own weapon. THE CHIEF I'm gonna need your weapon, son. Berg looks at the Chief, trembling, the barrel of his gun inching upwards. BERG What? THE CHIEF The gun. BERG Why? Because my wife's in the hospital? THE CHIEF Yeah. That would be why. Berg takes aim at the Prisoner. Trying to get the nerve. BERG I have to... THE CHIEF Officer, drop your weapon on the ground. NOW! BERG I can't. You know I can't... THE CHIEF Do it for your wife, son! BERG This IS for my wife. I'm sorry, sir.