The Revenant: Making the Movie

The Revenant was an unlikely movie to become a worldwide phenomenon: a punishing, austere art film about a 19th-century trapper, with a nearly three- hour runtime, and almost no dialogue. The exacting vision of director Alejandro G. Irritu had caused its production to spin out of control, both financially and even physically, taking a terrible toll on stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy. Hollywood insiders predicted it would soon be a cautionary tale on par with the legendary flop Heaven's Gate. Yet there was method to Irritu's supposed madness, and when The Revenant was finally released, its uncompromising realism and originality took both critics and the box office by storm. In this convenient, fast-paced book, James Diamond takes us inside this extraordinary production, from the miseries suffered by its cast and crew to the soaring heights of their creative invention. He traces the story of trapper Hugh Glass from frontier tall-tale to novel to Hollywood, through the remarkable evolutions of its screenplay and the surprising on-set sacrifices needed to complete production. The resulting creative journey is every bit as remarkable-and every bit as thrilling-as Glass's own. Buy Now to Discover: The true story of-and many mysteries surrounding-the real Hugh Glass. Author Michael Punke's surprising day job-and how it forces him to shun interviews. Why DiCaprio ate a real bison liver in the movie's most infamous scene. Capsule biographies of the major figures in The Revenant's production, including Irritu, DiCaprio, and Hardy. Why industry insiders predicted disaster, and how the film defied their expectations. How Iarritu's extraordinary commitment to detail led to two international shipments of ants. How The Revenant's cinematographer set an all-time Hollywood record. Buy Now and Read the True Story Behind The Revenant...