I ran to it.
It was out there, and I read the script.
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It had been around for years.
Leslie Dixon wrote it in 2007 or 2008.
Heath Ledger was going to do it, then Shia LaBeouf.
I just tried to get it.
Spoiler-y bithere, if you havent seenLimitless.
Which of the two endings to the movie did you prefer?
The one that you went with, or the one thats included on the DVD?
The one thats in the movie.
Do you not like the alternative one, where Eddie is left in a far darker place?
Well, I feel like the ending that we chose for the movie was more ambiguous for the viewer.
Is he on the drug?
Is he off the drug?
Was he lying to him or not?
It could be just as dark an ending as the other one, if hes lying to Carl.
If that whole thing was a ruse, and hes not off the drug.
All he does is claim that hes off it, but hes retained some of the power.
Was there ever any suggestion that you might go closer to the ending of the book?
Well, in the book ending, hes lost everything.
Hes waiting in a motel in Vermont, and hes waiting for them to come and kill him.
Its completely different, and hes not running for Senate or anything.
Hes lost it all.
We departed from that, even before I came aboard.
Leslie Dixons script chose a different way to go.
Do you think Eddies a good guy, then?
I do think hes a good guy, yeah.
I dont think that he is malicious in any way at all.
We dont know what his objective is on the drug.
Its not to make money, thats for sure.
But were not really sure what [his objective] is.
Do you think that Eddie escapes the notion that power always corrupts?
I dont think he escapes it.
Its a treacherous road, so thats sort of the main thrust.
Would you say theres also an undercurrent about how people deal with failure and success?
How you deal with the lack of power, and then the surplus of power.
People have come to recognise you as Phil fromThe Hangover.
Was Eddie, after playing Phil, a refreshing character to play?
I love Phil, and I love Eddie, too.
It was nice to be cast in a movie that was a different genre, for sure.
To be cast in a movie where the burden of the storytelling was on my shoulders.
I love that challenge.
And also to be able to play a guy who goes through such a transformation, physically and emotionally.
But I dont mind being associated withThe Hangover.
Im honoured to be a part of it.
Youre like, Oh, really?
[laughs] Are you sure?
Why would he thinkthat?
[laughs] That was great.
Id love to learn German.
You rememberA Fish Called Wanda?
Where John Cleese just loves German?
You basically want to do the bit where John Cleese walks around in his underpants, then?
Maybe thats what it is, yeah!
Moving on to some future projects, how far down the road are you withThe Crowat the moment?
Im not sure where we are with that.
Are you still committed to it?
It was never like that.
You chatted earlier in the year on how you were looking to adapt the books, and possibly direct?
That we are just finishing the deal to write.
So, thats definitely going ahead?
Have you read those?
No, not yet.
Are you aiming to do all of the books?
Well, ideally, yes, but were combining them.
Because it would really be a mammoth undertaking, these four books, turning them into script form.
And well see where that takes us in terms of the second one.
Are you still keen to direct it?
But thats like saying your first film is going to beAvatar!
How far along are you onParadise Lost?
Weve been doing all these tests all this week.
Youre going whole hog performance capture with it?
So, youre still doing it?
That would suck if I did all that for nothing!
Yeah, its full on.
The deals are done.
That was our second day, and we were testing out different rigs, doing some preliminary work.
We did this one scene where Lucifer lands and talks to the minions.
Well start shooting January.
How do you feel about playing the biggest baddie there ever was?
Oh, man, I cant wait.
I cant believe Im doing it.
I remember onThe A-Teamtour, I was here in London, and I met Ralph Fiennes.
Id never met him before, and hes a friend of Liam Neeson.
I remember we were talking, and he said, Wwhat do you want to do?
So, I said, Its so crazy.
Theres this project,Paradise Lost.
All I really want to do is play the devil.
And I remember he said, Youre gonna do it.
I was like, Oh great.
And then were doing it!
But you never know until youre shooting.
I say all this now, but Shia LaBeouf might be Lucifer in a month.
Paradise Losthas Alex Proyas directing.
Who did the original film of The Crow.
Youve played a whole variety of different roles over your career.
Well, Phil fromThe Hangoverwasnt easy at all.
In fact, I was probably the most trepidatious about that character than any one that Ive played.
Just because I didnt think I could pull it off.
Hes such a commander in chief, and so secure with himself, so quick witted.
And to me, hes like the coolest guy in the world.
But now, the second one was so effortless to play Phil.
I would do fiveHangovers, just to play him.
I really do love that character, and hes changing.
In the second movie, you saw his vulnerability.
I love that guy.
Where are plans for a thirdHangovermovie?
No plans, but I hope there is.
I think that it should be a trilogy, and then close it up, done.
You should take the next one to Blackpool.
Youd like it there.
[Laughs] Thats what someone said this morning!
Somewhere completely random, and not glamorous at all.
Nice and tacky, too.
Youve done a lot of stuff behind the camera.
Do you think youd like to one day just move across to being a producer/director?
Id love to direct, for sure.
I hope I do it.
Do you think youd ever retire from acting and become a director?
Who are the directors you aspire to, then?
Kathryn Bigelow is great.
Juan Carlos Fresnadillo is incredible.
Whats the part youd love to do?
I think that if my hunch is right about how much Id like directing.
I dont really have a part in mind.
Its more about working with directors.
To be on a Jonathan Glazer set, or a Paul Thomas Anderson set.
A Wes Anderson set, a Martin Scorsese set.
Thats the goal for me.
And that may change, and there may become a role, but for now, its about that.
Do you have any deals in place with any of those directors that youd like to exclusively tell us?
[laughs] Ive been trying to sit down with Jonathan Glazer for about eight years!
I even went to high school with his agent!
So, maybe one day!
Last question, then, and were keen to start an Internet rumour or two here.
Theres a bit inLimitlesswhen youre standing on the ledge, ready to jump.
And it struck me that was your Batman pose.
[Laughs]
You might see where this is going!
Blockbusters, comic book movies, superhero films, do they really interest you?
Because theyre going to some very dark places right now?
Again, its really about the director, honestly.
Ive got enough to work with there!
Bradley Cooper, thank you very much.
Limitless is out on DVD and Blu-ray today.
