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FunnymanJim Carreyhas show time and metre again that he has the acting chops to go past any musical genre , but in the early 2000s , the actor get stale groundwork when it come to what would have been his first thriller : Phone Booth . At the time , he was still well known for starring in over - the - top comedy movie , such asThe Mask , Ace Ventura : Pet Detective , andDumb and Dumber . In the recent 1990s , however , he earned more plaudit and awards aid for his performances inThe Truman ShowandMan on the Moon , whichpaved the way for more striking projects . Always one for push his ability , Carrey chose to do the thrillerPhone Boothas his one of his next projection .
telephone set Boothfollows a flying and intense secret plan demarcation of a human hold to the titular location , immobilise on a phone call with a sniper who is essay to extort money with threats of violence and murder . Screenwriter Larry Cohen actuallypitched the idea to Alfred Hitchcockin the sixties — the schoolmaster of suspense liked the estimation , but they could never quite figure out the right ending . tight ahead to the 1990s , and everyone desire to be a part of the undertaking . Tom Cruise , Will Smith , Mel Gibson , Robin Williams , Anthony Hopkins , and Nicolas Cage were all attach to star at one stop , and even Steven Spielberg was concerned in target because it remind him of a traditional Hitchcock thriller .
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Once Joel Schumacher signed on to directPhone Booth , Jim Carrey became concerned in the lead role of New York City publicist Stu Shepard . Schumacher had previously worked withCarrey inBatman & Robin , where the player plays The Riddler . He was apparently fitted for the character ’s wooing inPhone Boothand even announced it as his next labor while on talk shows promotingMe , Myself , and Irene . However , he got concerned right before signing the contract and called Schumacher to tell him he was n’t comfortable with the part . Carrey instead choose to do the far softer and sweeter Frank Darabont dramaThe Majestic , a throwback to Frank Capra movie . A buff of James Stewart and not want to alienate fan , Carrey decided that role was far comfortably suit for him .
A number of yr after , Carrey would re - team with Schumacherfor the ill - fated conspiracy thrillerThe Number 23 , released in 2007 . The dark and gritty moving-picture show was a major release for Carrey , pave the way for more action and suspense flick likeKick - Ass 2andDark Crimes . All three would be critical failures and box office disappointments , though , paint a picture that while he had an appetite to attempt suspenseful projects , Carrey ’s involvement in thrillers just is n’t well - received , particularly by fans of his light body of work .
Phone Bootheventually premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in the fall of 2002 and then released stagily in April 2003 , with fellowBatman movie scoundrel Colin Farrellin the lead part . It was a smasher , grossing $ 98 million on a $ 13 million budget and turned Farrell into a bankable precede humanity . Carrey has never point out on the lostPhone Boothrole since dropping out . Perhaps he recognized that he was not ready to play such an acute part or was not suited for the role , but it would have made for an interesting scout had he taken it – at a time when he was at the top of his vocation .
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