Late last month we told you about local filmmaker Travis Mills and his plan to make a feature film about legendary Valley restaurant owner, Jack Durant. Mills just needed $100,00 to make the movie, called Durant's Never Closes, which he hoped to raise on Kickstarter.
Arguably there's good reason to turn Durant's life -- or at least a part of it -- into a feature film. He was, after all, the subject of some pretty impressive rumors and has already been the subject of a book and a play. Apparently, the Internet agrees.
See also: Jack Durant, Legendary Steak House Owner, Topic of Future Feature Film
On Tuesday, February 3 the Kickstarter campaign reached its goal of raising $100,000 to make the film. By the end of the campaign, Mills had actually exceeded the goal and raised $101,945 from 459 backers.
The money raised by the Kickstarter campaign will be used for post-production expenses, according to Mills. Things such as marketing, festival costs, and DVD printing.
Mills, who went to film school at ASU, plans to shoot the movie in just 10 days. And he's lined up some impressive star power for the project.
Tom Sizemore, who you may know from Black Hawk Down and Saving Private Ryan, is lined up to play Jack Durant, with supporting roles filled by '70s blaxploitation star Pam Grier and Michael Richards of Seinfeld fame.
Jack Durant, who died in 1987, owned Durant's Steakhouse in Phoenix. The local legend is famous in part for leaving his house and an annual allowance of $50,000 to his pet English bulldog, Humble.
For updates check out the Durant's Never Closes Facebook.
