Sally, there is no question that Baz is privilege to the inside track to effect. Of course ALW and the RUG have needed the means to trickle out detail to prompt interest (albeit quite surprising how relatively little there has been), but that Baz himself was chosen was really not so likely to be about him at all. The reason he will have been chosen is because the Mail has the highest circulation (by a long way) in the right demographic. That's how it works!
Apart from the Mail circulation issue, Baz was a surprising choice in some respects, when he had previously shown some inclination to be a little sardonic (shall we say) in respect of most things ALW. And of course, given that they wanted to get him on side, there has been effort to show him the goods etc. It's obviously worked, too, since his original sarcasm has turned to enthusiasm. But that won't have been "bought" as such. And although it is fairly unlikely that, in those circumstances, he would have been overtly negative in advance of actual staging, he didn't NEED to be actively positive either. He could just have reported the facts and/or deliberately limited what he said. But he hasn't!
And in respect of my impression that opinions are coming round, that is largely just from talking to people. Initially perception was certainly that a sequel was a huge mistake and that it was likely going to be a train wreck. But over time, that thinking has come round to being thought to have been a bit hasty. And those who said they wouldn't bother to go to see it at all, are now more than a little curious.
Updated On: 7/5/09 at 07:50 AM