Cast your mind back to Thursday December 2nd.
The UK is gripped by two momentous events.
But, more importantly, its the day of the World Cup bid announcement.
Its 3:30 in the afternoon, and Im sat in the Charlotte Street Hotel.
Its a nice place, but the staff dont seem with it.
Its then that the news comes trickling in.
The dream is over.
Englands bid has failed.
He wroteThe Last King Of Scotland,The QueenandFrost/Nixon, dont you know?
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So, where do you start with someone like Morgan?
Whats it like to work with Eastwood?
Or Spielberg, for that matter?
Is he still writing Bond?
Well, first things first…
Have you been following the World Cup decision hoopla at all?
Did we get it?
I was thinking on the way over, its been quite a story.
Weve had corruption, a slow-burning build up, a thrilling climax.
Could you see yourself writing a film about it all?
Somebody rang me about it today.
Probably not, because there are too many public faces in there and some conversations I cant even imagine.
The behind-the-scenes politicking, if there is any, it would have to come out.
But I cant see it myself, not at the moment.
But then, you never know.
You mention too many real people involved, and inHereafteryouve gone the other way.
Its a more personal film than the kind youve written before.
Yes, and like a number of others since then.
Ive done a couple of other projects which are pure fiction.
Otherwise, if you keep repeating yourself, its just too awful.
And this film poses that big question: what happens when you die?
But it also felt like a very close-knit drama about loneliness, about someone needing to be with someone.
That is definitely what I felt it was.
You know, that grief is effectively just loving someone who is just not there.
And that I thought, Ooh, grief and romance feel like the same muscle.
And so I was really searching for something in that with the first draft.
And then Clint Eastwood shot it!
I kept thinking, Well, we must go on and do some more work and der-de-der-de-der.
So, is he a screenwriters dream then?
Because he has that no nonsense reputation: shoot it, get it done and move on.
Clint feels a lot of creative energy is neurotic and that is what he doesnt like.
He likes it uncomplicated and confident, even if it means that its clunky or misshapen in places.
When its too refined and too honed, its too obviously a piece of art, you know?
And it was very interesting.
In this room I got a pretty much 50/50 response.
So, is that a great thing or a bad thing?
So, I think if you were to get a line of 10 writers youd get a 50/50 response.
But you were involved in a Executive Producer capacity as well?
Well, I wasnt really.
They were very kind to give me a credit, but I didnt do a bloody thing.
[laughs]
So, you didnt have discussions with Clint?
Because there are some weighty themes in there, big questions about what happens when you die.
Its been blood from a stone.
In the end, whether its for better or for worse, thats what I know.
Cant we do anything?
Cant we have a conversation?
[laughs] And nothing.
And youve got other people like Steven Spielberg in there as well.
And these people dont need to be told anything, you know what I mean?
If anyone could get up and make a movie, its those two.
And has it changed the way you work now?
No, I think I would still prefer to work the old neurotic way.
I cant help it.
That is just the way I am.
Hes a man whos alone because of what he does, ostracised from society because of what he does.
Thats a very interesting observation.
He really related to that character.
And he said, Oh Matt.
Thats why I wanted to make the movie.
Thats what I cared about.
And Kathy Kennedy wanted to make it because of the French journalist.
She thought that was what the movie was about.
And the answer is this has always been a film that has slightly divided people.
People either really connect with it or they really dont.
Matt was only available much later.
It would have involved Clint waiting six months, which he doesnt like to do.
And he re-readHereafterand said, No.
Thats the only one I want to do.
Ill wait six months.
So, he clearly deeply connected with this in a way thats powerful.
There could be some truth in that.
Because theres certainly nothing in the twins story that I would personally relate to.
But that felt to me like the heart of the film.
But what you are saying about that makes perfect sense.
Can I ask a very quick question about Bond?
Im a guy in a room with you, I cant leave without asking this.
Are you still attached to writing the next Bond?
And I went off and wrote Freddie Mercury, Im afraid, so Im a whore.
No, Im not a whore!
[laughs]
I felt a burning need to write the Freddie Mercury story, I really did.
And when Sacha Baron Cohen rang me up to do it, I just couldnt say no.
So, I excused myself from the whatever the word is the shackles.
And I think I made the right decision.
Peter Morgan, thank you very much
Hereafter is released in cinemas on Friday, January28th.
