You've probably noticed how real talent often disappears in Hollywood due to not being used in the big films instead of mediocre stars. For me,
Rupert Friend has always been a typical example of that: although he
was most amazing beside
Emily Blunt in YOUNG VICTORIA as the Queen's subtle, wise and above all calm husband, he never really got bigger roles after that. Will that change? According to "Screen Daily" he will star in UK and French sf film
IN THE COUNTRY OF LAST THINGS, a film adaptation of
Paul Auster's famous dystopian novel translated in 42 languages so far. The drama charts a young woman’s journey through an imaginary, apocalyptic country where she hopes to find her lost brother. On the way, the woman falls in love with a foreign journalist who is trying to gather information about the land in the hope of rescuing its history and their own. Young
Alicia Vikander could join Rupert in the lead role.
HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES
Another production news coming from "Screen Daily" is about a movie adaptation of
Elliott Chaze's novel
BLACK WINGS HAS MY ANGEL in which the story
revolves around an escaped convict and a high-class call girl whose lives are changed by an armored car heist. The lead roles have already been given to always amazing
Tom Hiddleston from THOR and WAR HORSE, and to always horrid Anna Paquin, and they will also be joined by
Elijah Wood who hasn't been present on film much lately.
After BBC's super successful SHERLOCK show, according to "Deadline",
CBS is preparing their own, modern version called
ELEMENTARY in which
Jonny Lee Miller will play the famous detective who now lives in New York City. We shall watch Lee Miller this year in
Tim Burton's DARK SHADOWS next to
Johhny Depp and in vampire tale BYZANTIUM next to
Saoirse Ronan.
And the third story I've found over at "Screen Daily" on this very boring day when it comes to movie news, is connected with
Gillian Armstrong's new directorial project
THE GREAT, in which
Annette Benning will take a role in the story inspired by the intriguing life of
18th century Russian empress, Catherine The Great, who remains one of the greatest rulers in history. In the film she will be a minor royal living in rural Prussia, idealistic, naive and an utter romantic. When she is chosen to be married to Peter, Emperor of Russia, she is thrilled and dreams of a great love and a beautiful life. Instead she must choose between her own personal happiness and the future of Russia. And in doing so she brings enlightenment to her people. As you know it turned out that Peter was a flimsy drunkard and in order to protect her new country Catherine took things into her hands and became the longest ruling Russian empress under whose rule Russia became the greatest European power.
Catherine Zeta Jones played her in a great mini
series and there were also some horrid plans for
Angelina Jolie to play the queen in an epic. I'm guessing Benning will play Empress Elizabeth who recognised Catherine's strength when she chose her to be her grandson Peter's wife. There was also a plan for
Channing Tatum to star in
LOVE AND HONOUR as an American soldier Kieran Selkirk, recruited by Benjamin Franklin to convince the Russian Empress not to join the British in war against America. This epic adaptation of
Randall Wallace's novel, who was supposed to direct the film as well, hasn't been mentioned since 2010 and it was supposed to star
Anne Hathaway as Catherine's servant, and Selkirk's love interest.
revolves around an escaped convict and a high-class call girl whose lives are changed by an armored car heist. The lead roles have already been given to always amazing Tom Hiddleston from THOR and WAR HORSE, and to always horrid Anna Paquin, and they will also be joined by Elijah Wood who hasn't been present on film much lately. After BBC's super successful SHERLOCK show, according to "Deadline", CBS is preparing their own, modern version called ELEMENTARY in which Jonny Lee Miller will play the famous detective who now lives in New York City. We shall watch Lee Miller this year in Tim Burton's DARK SHADOWS next to Johhny Depp and in vampire tale BYZANTIUM next to Saoirse Ronan.
There are a lot of Hollywood actors who are undeserving of their fame. I've seen so many amazing talent in the recent years that never got the light of day. But like all things in Hollywood, they simply need the right role to catapult their career.
ReplyDeleteit's a depressive thing about Hollywood and the world around us, it's often the luck not the talent that counts :(
DeleteLoved the modernized Sherlock series on BBC. I hope they are as smart with it in the US version. Johnny Lee Miller is kind of an interesting choice.
ReplyDeletehe indeed is, I always liked him a lot. His only bad thing is that he was once married to Angelina Jolie :)
DeleteThat's right! And your Mr. Rupert Friend there had a long affair with Keira Knightly, which I'm glad you chose not to hold against him. :)
DeleteI'm trying to forget about his sin with that wretched wench :) Probably didn't know any better or something ... I'm still horrified how even today, when you Google Ruperts' pics, you get pics of that wench. As if his fling with her is his only accomplishment.
DeleteCatherine the great looks like a large woman
ReplyDeleteWait is Angelina Jolie playing that lady lol!
Deleteread the post, Baur :)) Angelina was first supposed to play Catherine the Great in Disney's film, but she left the project to play Cleopatra (which still didn't happen) and now the whole project is on hold. The one in the post is with Annette Bening, but I'm not sure she is the one who will play the empress.
DeleteI can't imagine a better version of Sherlock than the BBC modern one.
ReplyDeleteLove the title for BLACK WINGS HAS MY ANGEL and the premise sounds like it might have promise.
yep, I liked that title too :)
DeleteBlack Wings and The Empress have potential. But I'd have to be seriously trashed to watch Sherlock made by CBS and set in New York. I'd be opening a vein about 15 minutes into that.
ReplyDeletebut it's with Jonnylicious Miller :)
DeleteAlways pretty bad how American studios have to rip off British shows once they become popular. It's on CBS so not sure I'll like it, prob be the same old same old CSI rip off with Sherlock Holmes. But who knows.
ReplyDeleteyep, and never once did we get an American version which is better than the British one
DeleteYeah that is true too because all the studios do over here is make it the same old repeat crap as their 50 others shows and lose any originality.
DeleteBlack Wings Has My Angel sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine Sherlock in New York, even if he's a modernized version. But maybe it'll turn out good.
I can't imagine it either, especially since it will be set in modern times if I got it right
DeleteI would love to see the movie based on Cathrine the Great. It's lovely I bet.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad at least someone today shares my love for Catherine the Great project :) I'd make a whole bunch of films based on Russian rulers.
DeleteIt'll be great to see Elijah Wood in something again.
ReplyDeletewe haven't seen him much lately.
DeleteBlack Wings sounds like it could be fun. And yeah, i feel like Elijah hasn't really done much since Lord of the Rings.
ReplyDeletesince and before it. He will forever be just Frodo.
DeleteI'm really looking forward to Elementary. It sounds terrific as I love Johnny Lee Miller and Holmes.
ReplyDeleteIt is great to see Rupert Friend getting more roles and out from under She Who Shall Remain Nameless's shadow. He's very talented.
he he I love when you humour me :) I hope he won't let his hair grow again, I like him with this hairdo!
DeleteAnother Sherlock Holmes TV Show/Movie? I like. :D
ReplyDeleteglad you like it
Deletemeh more Sherlock... we really do not need another one!
ReplyDeleteI am 100% behind you Scott
Deleteas someone who hasn't watch SHERLOCK films with that horrid actor we won't name, and the BBC show, I'm behind you as well :) Jeremy Brett is the only Sherlock we've ever needed nobody can outdo him.
DeleteJohnny Lee Miller!!!!!, I'm afraid, very afraid.....
ReplyDeletewhy afraid, Lurk :)
DeleteI have read the Sherlock news before in another blog and comment is somewhat like this :
ReplyDeletefor God sake, make your own original series American TV industry people!! jezz.
When a show from England becomes success, they immediately grab it...wow!!!
I wonder if they would make their own MERLIN. I'd like that :) Never enough Merlin for me :)
DeleteAnnette Bening is such a great actress. A bit underrated perhaps.
ReplyDeleteshe'd be even more underrated if she wasn't married to Beaty :)
DeleteJonny Lee Miller would make a better Watson. It's all in the facial expression, or lack.
ReplyDeletehe would. Don't know if they will have Watson in US version.
DeleteDoes that make 3 new Sherlock films / series then?
ReplyDeleteI can't say there isn't a fourth one hiding somewhere :)
DeleteHerlock Holmes is a timely classic that will be around for generations. I'm going to look at Amazon freed downloads to see of the originals are free under public domain. I think Doyle's works are.
ReplyDeletesee if they have the one with Jeremy Brett, he's the one and only Herlock Sholmes for me :)
Delete*sigh* elijah wood!
ReplyDeletethe title of that movie is great, but i'm not so interested in the premise...
the catherine the great one could be great, though. :)
I love the title and hate the premise too :)
DeleteI've never been much of a fan of Annette Benning. However, I do like some history so I'll probably end up watching the film UNLESS Ebert gives it a horrible review. I follow what Ebert says really close. I've been wanting to see Shame because he rated it with four stars but the last line in his review says he wouldn't see it twice because it is that disturbing or emotionally difficult. So I've avoided it because of that. But the thought of seeing Michael Fassbender naked...hmmm...it's almost too much to resist. But I've digressed! Oh and love the pic of Rupert Friend. Holy cow is he a looker.
ReplyDeleteyes, you just can't skip seeing Fass My Benders' full frontal nudity. We've already seen in it HUNGER, but you can never get too much of it... can you?
DeleteRupert is a dashing smashing fella
the more sherlock holmes the better
ReplyDeletecant get enough of his genius
glad you liked the news :)
DeleteI love Annette Bening (mind the spelling, Teach). Ironically, every time I see her face my inner-eye sees and hears THIS.
ReplyDeleteah, and then I'm being called the naughty one :) I didn't misspell in the pic just in the post :) but English names are impossible to remember.
DeleteOooh, Rupert Friend AND Hiddleston in one post, thank you Dezzy!! :D
ReplyDeleteSooo agree with what you said about Rupert, he's lovely to look at and is quite a talented actor. No idea why he's not in more films like our other love Karl Urban or Matthew Goode [scratch head]
he he I knew there would be someone to appreciate both those gents like I do :))
DeleteIt seems everyone I adore is doomed to be an underrated star :(((
Hasn't anyone been following Rupert Friends progress with his prduction/direction of his film short "Steve",starring colin firth and she who will remaine---------/I've followed the film festival circut this past year and he has won a few times with "Steve",as well as been at almost every fetival he could manage Therefore our guy is getting the move on with his talent and getting exposed for the reasons of profession and not our pleasure- but Google has kept me up with all of this as well as numerous entertainment websites all over the world!!! Soooooo excited for him and we all will therefor enjoy his work now and in the future! Bravo :0)
ReplyDeletethe problem is that most big sites don't follow the really talented actors and the young hopes. I do try a lot, and HOLLYWOOD SPY is actually famous for supporting young thespians, but it's difficult searching for individual info which you cannot find at the big sites :(
DeleteWe do love Rupert a lot