Feral Jundi

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Film: Ridley Scott And Gerard Butler Team Up For Film About Simon Mann

Filed under: Equatorial Guinea,Film — Tags: , , , , , , — Matt @ 11:04 PM

Wow, this is unexpected?  It is also cool to see Ridley Scott do another Africa/conflict type film. Blackhawk Down was an outstanding war film, and Scott really hit the mark with that one

The other story about this, according to Mann’s twitter, is that he is talking with folks about doing a first person shooter game! Erik Prince has some competition in the gaming world I see? lol  Although I do not know if the game will be part of this movie, but even if it isn’t, it will still benefit from a movie.

Also, I kind of think that Gerard is not exactly the best choice of casting for Simon Mann. He doesn’t look like him, or even talk like him. But Gerard brings the star power, as does Ridley Scott, and I am sure Mann’s book fired up the imagination of both guys.  The question is, can a studio sell a mercenary film about a failed coup attempt?

The other question I have is if Ridley Scott and the writers will listen to what others might have to say about Mann and his book?  Because I am sure there are folks out there who disagree with what was said in the book, and would be very interested in making sure that all sides of this thing are fairly represented. It would also make for a more interesting movie if it had all of those perspectives. Who knows, and chalk up another film that we will track. –Matt

Edit: 11/18/2011– Simon Mann just confirmed in a tweet that the video game is part of the movie deal.

 


Ridley Scott and Gerard Butler Team Up for Fact-Based Mercenary Pic
by Dave Trumbore
November 17th, 2011
Although director Ridley Scott is currently busy with the production of Alien-pseudo-prequel, Prometheus, that doesn’t stop him from taking on new projects. Especially when that project stars Gerard Butler (300) as a former British Army officer who puts together a group of mercenaries to attempt a coup against an African nation’s government. Scott is attached to direct and produce the thriller based on the real-life exploits of Simon Mann. The script, written by Robert Edwards (The Bomb in My Garden) will follow Mann through the failed coup, his imprisonment and eventual pardoning.

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Friday, October 29, 2010

Equatorial Guinea: Mann Returns To EG To Consult For Dictator That Imprisoned Him For Coup Attempt

Filed under: Equatorial Guinea,Industry Talk — Tags: , , , , , , , — Matt @ 10:22 PM

      From being convicted and imprisoned for trying to overthrow Obiang, to becoming a consultant for the guy? Weird. Although one thing is for sure, Simon would be the ‘go to guy’ in order to sniff out other coups being planned against Obiang.

     The other thing that is interesting here is that Simon might actually be in a position to ‘influence’ Obiang, which the oil companies would really like. From what I have read, the oil companies hate dealing with this extremely corrupt nation and leadership, and I would too. Having a guy that has a leader’s ear like this, makes things a lot more easier when negotiating deals. (kind of like The Last King of Scotland movie)  Stay tuned, because this story just keeps getting weirder as time goes by. –Matt

Mann back in Equatorial Guinea – to work for leader he tried to oust

Mercenary advises Equatorial Guinea president

Simon Mann

Mann back in Equatorial Guinea – to work for leader he tried to oust

By Kim Sengupta

25 October 2010

Simon Mann’s incarceration in a brutal prison for attempting to overthrow one of the most notorious dictators in Africa was turned into an international cause célèbre in a long and vocal campaign by family friends.

The former SAS officer is now free and has just taken up his first proper “day job” since his release: working for that very same ruler he was determined to depose, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea.

At the time of the bungled coup in 2004, Mr Mann is said to have declared to his friends that he was helping to deliver the people of the benighted nation from the depredations of their appalling leader, who had been accused, among other things, of being a cannibal.

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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Quotes: Presidential Airways (Xe/Blackwater) Rescues Rep. Grayson From Niger Unrest

Filed under: Africa,Quotes — Tags: , , , , , , — Matt @ 2:23 PM

Bravo to Presidential Airways and Xe for a job well done! As for my message to Rep. Grayson….. I am sure glad you survived Niger. Thanks to the courageous work of contractors, you can now make it back home for that next protest with Code Pink. lol –Matt
Edit: 2/25/2010 – Wired posted a deal on this as well. It must have been tough for them to actually post a good story about Xe rescuing a politician. I am sure their fingers were burning as they typed the post. lol

 

Grayson: Even If Blackwater Saved Me From Coup, I Stand By Criticism Of Contractors
Justin Elliott
February 24, 2010
Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL), who found himself caught in a coup in Niger last week, was flown out of the country on an aircraft that may have been operated by a Blackwater subsidiary, Mother Jones reported today.
But in a statement to TPMmuckraker, Grayson’s spokesman says the congressman — who has been a fiery critic of the privatization of American foreign policy — still believes the use of profit-driven contractors can be deeply problematic.
“The Congressman does not deny that there is admirable work being done by some employees of private contractors,” said Todd Jurkowski. “However, he stands by his criticism of companies who have been found to cheat the American people, defraud our government, and unnecessarily risk the lives of members of our military, all in the name of making a profit.”
As for whether Blackwater was involved in flying Grayson from Niger to neighboring Burkina Faso, Jurkowski said: “The flight was arranged through the State Department. The Congressman did not know, and frankly did not care, who owned the plane.” (See update below.)

(more…)

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Guinea: Omega Strategic Services Providing Security and Training to Military Junta

Filed under: Guinea,Industry Talk — Tags: , , , , , — Matt @ 8:24 AM

   Interesting little story, and maybe some folks from Omega Strategic Services can elaborate on this one. –Matt

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SAPS officer ‘training Guinea mercenaries’

By Peter Fabricius

November 18, 2009

Several South Africans, led by a former SA Police Service officer, are working for a Dubai-based security company in Guinea, providing protection and training to the military junta which seized power in a December coup and has been ostracised by African organisations, security sources say.South Africa’s director-general of international relations and co-operation, Ayanda Ntsaluba, said yesterday the government’s information also suggested that the South Africans allegedly working for the junta were employed by “companies operating largely through Dubai”.Ntsaluba declined to name the company, but intelligence sources said the South Africans had been in the turbulent West African state for at least a month, working for Omega Strategic Services (OSS) to provide security and military training for the military junta headed by Captain Moussa Dadis Camara.UN diplomats have corroborated the reports of mercenaries helping the junta

The contingent in Guinea is headed by Daniel Oosthuizen, the OSS director of operations and a veteran of 18 years’ service in the SAPS, according to the sources.Ntsaluba said the South African government was trying to verify French media reports about the presence of South African mercenaries in Guinea, providing training for the junta’s soldiers and securing imports of weapons from Ukraine.UN diplomats have corroborated the reports of mercenaries helping the junta.  (more…)

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