A hottest take argues Petersen was only a few choices from major stardom; reported rejections of Goodfellas, Heat and Platoon are discussed with uncertainty about particular roles and his preference for other work.
Costner roles such as Bull Durham, Field of Dreams and No Way Out are imagined for Petersen, emphasizing physical presence, sports credibility and sex appeal.
A hottest take imagines Petersen and Don Johnson swapping their 1984 career paths, with Costner’s choices as the model of successful movie-star escalation.
Other hottest takes describe the film as Heat without supporting-story fat and as better or more rewatchable than The French Connection; the earlier Petersen-stardom take is recalled.
The original title is reported as Man of the People.
Roth and Mann reportedly wrote the first draft at the Broadway deli, with the bar-versus-table detail questioned.
Crow could not discuss the events with Wigand because the confidentiality restriction still applied outside court.
Wallace reportedly disliked the film; a Mann account describes a hostile Hewitt elevator encounter that turns into criticism of Bergman.
Bergman’s Berkeley and Frontline roles are reported, and Pete Hamill is identified as the journalist cameo receiving the leak.
Wigand reportedly did not want cigarettes shown, though Middle East smoking is noted; more smoke is argued to suit Pacino and the atmosphere.
The effect of smoking imagery is acknowledged while discussing convincing and awkward screen smokers, including television Don Johnson and Goodfellas De Niro.
Bruce Willis was chosen after an extraordinary list of stars; Sam Neill was considered for Hans Gruber, while Tom Berenger and Don Johnson are the panel’s plausible McClane alternatives.
Because the source novel followed an earlier Roderick Thorp book adapted with Frank Sinatra, Sinatra reportedly held a contractual right of refusal.
Tom Berenger and Don Johnson are proposed as alternatives who could have worked, though the released film would have been less iconic.
Nick Nolte is rejected as physically and tonally wrong for the required action.
Sam Neill is reported as considered for Hans Gruber, but Alan Rickman is treated as impossible to replace after seeing the performance.
The panel wonders whether Chris Rock or a Wayans brother was considered for Argyle and asks what the final Argyle shortlist looked like; the transcript does not resolve it.
