Creators of two great modern comedy series (The Office and Extras), Ricky Gervais and Steven Merchant have teamed together to make their first ever movie, Cemetery Junction. The plan is to adapt it into a TV series (think MASH) after the film. There’s no release date set for this film (IMDB claims April 2010 for the UK), and the teaser tells us next to nothing about the story, which follows three insurance salesmen in the 70’s. However, it displays that Gervais and Merchant still have their trademark humour, gently demeaning Ralph Fiennes.
Ricky Gervais is the talent (well, half of) behind one of the most influential TV shows of the last decade, The Office. His follow-up, Extras, was less innovative and touching, but still excellent. So what is Gervais’s next project? This September will see the release of The Invention of Lying, a comedy about a world where no one ever lies, which Gervais’s co-directing and co-writing. But next year sees the release at his first attempt writing a feature film, Cemetery Junction. The plot follows three men working at an insurance company in 1970’s England. It stars Ralph Fiennes, Emily Watson, and Gervais himself. It’s also co-written by Stephen Merchant, the other half of the writing team behind The Office and Extras, so expect the comedy to be of top-class quality.
But that’s not the end of Cemetery Junction. Gervais also plans to adapt the premise into a TV series as well, as the idea was originally for television. Gervais said to Empire: “We thought that when you do a TV show and then do a film, generally it’s awful. One, it taints the film with a TV brush. It breaks its credibility a little bit. I don’t want to do a film that’s just an extended TV episode. So we want to give the film its best shot and treat it with the reverence a film deserves”. Sounds like a great idea.
Gervais is also working on a children’s animated film he created entitled Flanimals, due out in 2011.
Boasting of an International Cast, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures Epic start the production of the 1981 remake Clash of the Titans.
In “Clash of the Titans,” the ultimate struggle for power pits men against kings and kings against gods. But the war between the gods themselves could destroy the world. Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus (Sam Worthington) is helpless to save his family from Hades (Ralph Fiennes), vengeful god of the underworld. With nothing left to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus (Liam Neeson) and unleash hell on earth. Leading a daring band of warriors, Perseus sets off on a perilous journey deep into forbidden worlds. Battling unholy demons and fearsome beasts, he will only survive if he can accept his power as a god, defy his fate and create his own destiny.
Leading the international cast is Australian actor Sam Worthington as Perseus, the mortal son of Zeus, king of the gods. Worthington will next be seen in this summer’s “Terminator Salvation.” Liam Neeson takes on the role of the mighty Zeus, and Ralph Fiennes plays the role of Hades, god of the underworld, who feeds on human fear. Rounding out the cast is Gemma Arterton (“Quantum of Solace”) as Io, Perseus’ mysterious spiritual guide throughout his journey; Mads Mikkelsen (“Casino Royale”) as Draco, who takes up his sword to join Perseus’ quest; Jason Flemyng (“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”) as Acrisius, a one-time king-turned-hideous beast; and Alexa Davalos (“Defiance”) as Andromeda, a princess doomed to lose her life if Perseus does not succeed.
“Clash of the Titans” will begin filming in studios outside London and will later shoot in various locations in Wales and in the Spanish Canary Islands, predominantly on Tenerife, off the coast of Africa. Further aerial work is set to take place in the diverse locales of Ethiopia and Iceland.
(Source) Press
The Clash of the Titans remake is getting some big names, as Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes are set to play warring gods in the film.
Neeson will play Zeus, the king of the Olympian Greek gods and father of Perseus (played by Sam Worthington). Fiennes will play Hades, ruler of the underworld who goes up against Zeus in a bid to rule the world.
Other cast members include Gemma Arterton, Alexa Davalos and Mads Mikkelsen.
Filming is set to begin later this month.
I posted the trailer a few days back, and then discovered the movie poster as well. The story is quite interesting with romance, jilted young lover and a Holocaust back story that proves out in the end.
The Reader looks like a movie that will get under your skin. Kat Winslet is fabulous as she takes her character through several levels. She deserves a nomination and an Oscar. Ralph Fiennes holds his own as more than a jilted lover. If the movie’s pacing is anything like the trailer, bravo to the director, Stephen Daldry.
The Duchess story unfolds brilliantly in the latest clip just released. Ralph Fiennes is unbelievable in this role as an irascible husband.
The movie goes to wide release October 10th.
Director Saul Dibb directs the period drama based on Amanda Foreman’s best-selling novel “Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire,” which details the romantic entanglements of a beautiful celebrity (Keira Knightley) whose unhappy marriage to the Duke of Devonshire (Ralph Fiennes) threatens to blow up into scandal when she falls for an enterprising young politician.
The Duchess trailer clearly allows us to know that this woman has set her own downfall; but just how far down she goes is the question. One movie web site referred to similarities with the Late Princess Diana. That’s an interesting contrast. The movie opens September 19th.
Great trailer!
The trailer for The Duchesss shows great architecture, costumes and romance with complications — ah, drama. The film stars Ralph Fiennes and Kiera Knightly. Enjoy the trailer. The movie opens in September.
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If you are in New York this summer, here is a great article on “11 Shows to See” by Lind Winer on Newsday.com. Â One show that stands out for me is Sean Hayes (”Will & Grace”) plays the devil in this 1955 musical about a baseball fan (Cheyenne Jackson) who sells his soul to beat the Yankees, and gets to play around with the Devil’s helper (Jane Krakowski) in the bargain. Another is at the Lincoln Center Festival, three Solos by Samuel Becket, where Liam Neeson does “Eh, Joe,” Barry McGovern stars in “I Will Go On” and Ralph Fiennes follows in “First Love.”