Inducing I Am Legend flashbacks for all NYU upperclassmen, the new Nic Cage vehicle The Sorcerers Apprentice set up shop again this afternoon in Washington Square Park. The Jerry Bruckheimer produced project is being directed by Jon Turteltaub (Three Ninjas, National Treasure), also stars Undeclareds Jay Baruchel and will definitely be the highest grossing movie of the 2010 summer.

The mega-movies executive producer, Barry Waldman (Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, Kangaroo Jack) agreed to spend a few minutes with Local and after a few phone calls and logistical glitchesand with the help of a very accomodating publicistwe sat down on a pair park benches, or what he called his Washington Square Park office. Check out what he had to say after the jump and enjoy this photo of Mr. Cage in a dumb hat, snapped by our own Nicole He.

The movie, a live action version of the famous sequence from Disneys Fantasia (based loosely on the 1797 Goethe poem) centers mainly around the present day life of a young man, a physics major, played by Baruchel. The main character in the movie is a college student that goes to NYU, said Waldman, himself an affable Jeff Garlin type.

He also spoke appreciatively about the universitys involvement. We really worked hard to make NYU a part of the movie. We wanted it as accurate as possible and based in some sort of reality, he said. Having the college be a part of the movie was very important.

Today was the last day in the park but the whole movie is shot in New York, he said, noting the importance of the city to the film. He also seemed excited about the student reaction, despite Cage only being in one scene for the day: There was a whole line of students watching! All hoping to see the secret Coppola, Im sure.

Waldman continued to describe the universitys apprehension about having the set on campus after the disruptions caused by Will Smith and co. two years ago. We worked very hard to make sure that whatever had gone wrong during the filming of that was not repeated, said Waldman. In the movie, we say were at NYU, so we wanted to film at NYU. Thats what appeals to the audience.

Though no current Tischies are working on the film, Waldman did impress when he spoke of the filming that took place over Spring Break: We made it rain from the law school to the end of the block! he exlaimed pointing toward Bobst.

When asked if production was on schedule, Waldman just smiled slyly: Always.