FIRST LOOK AT VINCENT LINDON AND TAHAR RAHIM IN NEW FRENCH MOVIE ADAPTATION OF VICTOR HUGO'S LES MISERABLES

   LES MISERABLES  

1ST IMAGE FROM MOVIE ADAPTATION 

After the Musketeers and Count Monte Cristo another big screen novel adaptation in France will be LES MISERABLES done this time by Studiocanal and Fred Cavaye and we have the first image today. Set against the backdrop of revolutionary uprisings in France, it follows the character of Jean Valjean, a peasant sentenced to five years’ hard labour for stealing a loaf of bread whose story spans several years as he is released from prison and reintegrated into society, yet pursued by a police inspector on his trail. Vincent Lindon plays Jean Valjean, with Tahar Rahim as his nemesis Inspector Javert. Benjamin Lavernhe and Camille Cottin are evil innkeepers Thénardier and Madame Thénardier. Noemie Merlant plays the tragic figure of Fantine, whose daughter, Cosette, Valjean takes in as his own. It will arrive November 2026.

SEE TRAILER FOR PERIOD SET THIS IS NOT A MURDER MYSTERY TV SERIES A WHODUNIT WITH WORLD RENOWNED ARTISTS FROM THE 3OS

THIS IS NOT A MURDER MYSTERY

PERIOD SET TV SERIES TRAILER IS HERE

I am opening our weekend of international period set series with THIS IS NOT A MURDER MYSTERY from Belgium which will soon air on different broadcasters around Europe. Set in the flamboyant 1930s, it 

The series will air on different European broadcasters

sees the group of world renowned Surrealist artists, who find themselves trapped in a lavish mansion with a mysterious serial killer on the loose. Pierre Gervais stars as René Magritte, Inaki Mur as Dalí, Geert Van Rampelberg as ELT Mesens, Florence Hall as American photographer Lee Miller, Frank Bourke as Man Ray, Oscar Högströn as Nash and Lauren Versnick as a newly deceased Sheila Legge. Donna Banya plays DC Mary Quant, Jonathan Delaney Tynan is Archibald Jukes and Mathilde Warnier is Georgette Magritte, wife of the Belgian artist. DCI Thistletwaite is played by Stephen Tompkinson.

 

VINCENT LINDON AND TAHAR RAHIM TO LEAD NEW FRENCH MOVIE ADAPTATION OF VICTOR HUGO'S LES MISERABLES

   NEW LES MISERABLES  

MOVIE ADAPTATION CAST ANNOUNCED

After the Musketeers and Count Monte Cristo another big screen novel adaptation in France will be LES MISERABLES done this time by Studiocanal and Fred Cavaye. Set against the backdrop of revolutionary uprisings in France, it follows the character of Jean Valjean, a peasant sentenced to five years’ hard labour for stealing a loaf of bread whose story spans several years as he is released from prison and reintegrated into society,

Benjamin Lavernhe, Tahar Rahim and Vincent Lindon will lead

yet pursued by a police inspector on his trail. Vincent Lindon leads the cast in the role of Jean Valjean, with Tahar Rahim as his nemesis Inspector Javert. Benjamin Lavernhe and Camille Cottin are evil innkeepers Thénardier and Madame Thénardier. Noemie Merlant plays the tragic figure of Fantine, whose daughter, Cosette, Valjean takes in as his own. Now shooting, it will arrive November 2026.

FRANCE SETS NEW EPIC MOVIE ADAPTATION OF VICTOR HUGO'S LES MISERABLES BY STUDIOCANAL

   NEW LES MISERABLES  

EPIC MOVIE ADAPTATION ANNOUNCED

After the Musketeers and Count Monte Cristo another big screen novel adaptation in France will be LES MISERABLES done this time by Studiocanal and Fred Cavaye. Set against the backdrop of revolutionary uprisings in France, Les Misérables follows the character of Jean Valjean, a peasant sentenced to five years’ hard labour for stealing a loaf of bread whose story spans several years as he is released from prison and reintegrated into society, yet pursued by a police inspector on his trail.

STUDIOCANAL PREPARING CORTO MALTESE TV SERIES WITH FRANK MILLER AS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND CREATOR

  CORTO MALTESE SERIES 

IN WORKS FROM STUDIOCANAL AND FRANK MILLER

I first reported on this project back in 2021

Out favourite Studiocanal is prepping a six episode mini series on famous graphic novel hero CORTO MALTESE and they have hired Frank Miller as creator, writer and executive producer. Started back in the 60s by Hugo Pratt, it followed Maltese, a daring sea captain whose adventures took place in the early part of the 20th century. 

 

  The lavishly drawn adventure tale melded fantasy with reality following Corto Maltese, an enigmatic and laconic sea captain who lives in the first three decades of the 20th century. Born in Valletta on the island of Malta, the son of a sailor from Cornwall, and a gypsy from Seville, in his adventures full of real world references, he has often crossed with real historical characters like Jack London, Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, Hermann Hesse, the American outlaw Butch Cassidy, the German World War I flying ace Red Baron, and many others.

STUDIOCANAL PREPARES SPANISH DOWNTON ABBEY TV SERIES THE PROMISE OR LA PROMESA! SEE THE EXCLUSIVE FIRST PHOTOS

  LA PROMESA TV SERIES  

THE PROMISE FROM SPAIN

Our favourite Studiocanal has joined with Spanish Bambu Producciones in bringing a new premium daily drama LA PROMESA or THE PROMISE to Mipcom market where it will be offered to international broadcasters. Spanish national television RTVE already has rights on it for Southern America and United States. Spanish answer to Downton Abbey and Gilded Age has 122 hourlong episodes! Filming began at the beginning of

Ana Garces takes the lead role of Jana

September in the Palacio El Rincón, a spectacular building from the end of the 19th century located in Aldea del Fresno, near Madrid, as well as on the two sets with an area of ​​3,000 m2! 

  THE STORY IS SET IN 1913

The whole world is on the brink of the abyss, but there are havens of peace isolated from the conflicts. Like the La Promesa Palace, in the Los Pedroches valley, owned by the Marqueses de Luján, one of the largest landowners in the country. That day the Palace dresses up to celebrate the wedding of the heir, Tomás, but the appearance of an airplane attracts everyone's attention. It is piloted by Manuel (Arturo Sancho), son of the Marqueses. Suddenly, the device loses height until it crashes. Manuel is about to be consumed by the flames; but someone manages to save him: Jana (Ana Garcés). The Marquis offers her a financial reward, but she only wants a job at the Palace and has a clear motive: to bring justice to her mother, who was murdered fifteen years ago, and to investigate the whereabouts of her brother, kidnapped when he was a newborn. And the only clue he has is related to the Marqueses de Luján. The time has come for revenge. There is only one element that she hadn't counted on: Manuel, son of the Marqueses... and the last person she would expect to fall in love with.

 

STUDIOCANAL TO PRODUCE THE LOST LEONARDO MINI TV SERIES! SEE TRAILER FOR PERIOD SET COMEDY IL PRINCIPE DI ROMA FROM ITALY

  STUDIOCANAL TO PRODUCE 

THE LOST LEONARDO SERIES

According to Deadline, our favourite Studiocanal will turn documentary THE LOST LEONARDO into a mini series which will explore the origin and surreal journey of the now famous painting called the “Salvator

Documentary will be turned into limited series

Mundi.” Discovered in an estate sale in Louisiana in 2005 by enterprising art dealers and purchased for $1000, the painting took on a life of its own when it was restored and authenticated as a true Leonardo Da Vinci. After several real-life twists and turns that saw the painting travel through the underbelly of the international art world, it eventually sold at Christie’s auction house in New York for $450 million, the highest price ever paid for a piece of art, and it was purchased by Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. The series endeavors to discover whether the “Lost Leonardo” is the greatest art discovery of our time, or a scam that escalated beyond imagination. 

  IL PRINCIPE DI ROMA  

PERIOD SET COMEDY TRAILER

While we are in Italy, you could check out a trailer for their new period set comedy movie IL PRINCIPE DI ROMA which will bring laughter to their cinemas

The movie is out this November

from November 17th. With Marco Giallini in the lead role, Giulia Bevilacqua, Filippo Timi, Sergio Rubini, Denise Tantucci, Antonio Bannò, Liliana Bottone, Massimo De Lorenzo, Andrea Sartoretti and Giuseppe Battiston round up the cast. An adaptation of Charles Dickens' famous "A Christmas Carol", it tells the story of an avid rich man living in the 1820's Rome who wants to recover some money so he can make a special deal with a prince and then marry the girl of his dreams. A surprising voyage through space and time. Check out the trailer below and tell us what you think:

 

GO ON A TRIP AROUND THE WONDERS OF EUROPE WITH HUGH BONNEVILLE IN NEW HIGH END PERIOD SET SERIES

 THE WONDERS OF EUROPE 

WITH HUGH BONNEVILLE

Here is something interesting for you period set drama lovers: Hugh Bonneville will narrate Studiocanal's new four part documentary series THE WONDERS OF EUROPE (L’Europe des Merveilles) taking the viewers on a grand tour of the architectural landmarks of Europe in the international version of the French programme. As 'Variety' reports, this new high-end docu-series focusing on European cultural heritage and architecture was unveiled at Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Biarritz, the international market entirely dedicated to French TV programs. 

 

THE WONDERS OF EUROPE

 is enhanced by French composer Cascadeur’s original music and, for the international version, Bonneville’s narration. The first season reveals the story of the people who built four European wonders, the Palace of Versailles, and the temples of the Acropolis, but also the Louvre in Paris, and the Alhambra in Granada. Watching the Acropolis being built before your very eyes or Versailles being enlarged by order of Louis XIV to become one of the most beautiful palaces in the world with its 73-meter long Hall of Mirrors and sumptuous gardens are just a couple of the time travel trips that the show takes you on. Currently in the making, season two will also include four parts: two on monuments in France and probably one each in Germany and Italy. A third season is already under discussion.

JOSHUA SASSE, SUSAN SARANDON, TRACE ADKINS, ANNA FRIEL TO LEAD COUNTRY MUSIC DYNASTY SERIES MONARCH AT FOX! A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS TRAILER WITH JIM BROADBENT, MAGGIE SMITH, MICHIEL HUISMAN, TOBY JONES

  JOSHUA SASSE JOINS  

MONARCH TV SERIES AT FOX

If you are missing Empire on Fox, they have another music dynasty coming to the small screen, but now a country one: Joshua Sasse has just joined their new series MONARCH which will start January 30th following

Joshua Sasse will be the son of the family

America’s first family of country music, the Romans, who are headed by the insanely talented, but tough as nails Queen of Country Music Dottie Cantrell Roman (Susan Sarandon). Along with her beloved husband, Albie (Trace Adkins), Dottie has created a country music dynasty. But even though the Roman name is synonymous with authenticity, the very foundation of their success is a lie. And when their reign as country royalty is put in jeopardy, heir to the crown Nicolette “Nicky” Roman (Anna Friel) will stop at nothing to protect her family’s legacy, while ensuring her own quest for stardom. Sasse will play Luke Roman, the smart, charming but insecure son of the Romans, as well as the CEO of the family’s business, Monarch Entertainment. Luke is close to his sisters Nicky and Gigi (Beth Ditto), and is the apple of his mother’s eye, but he has a troubled relationship with his father, whose approval he can never get, no matter how hard he tries.

  A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS  

GETS NEW POSTERS AND TRAILER

Even though the summer is not yet over you might be wondering what will you watch in cinemas next Christmas, well new trailer and posters have been

A Boy Called Christmas arrives November

released by Studiocanal for the big screen adaptation of Matt Haig's novel A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS which will arrive actually earlier than Christmas - November in selected theatres and over on Netflix! This is the story of Father Christmas, the tale of a young boy named Nikolas (Henry Lawfull) of snow and elves, starring Jim Broadbent, Michiel Huisman, Stephen Merchant, Toby Jones, Sally Hawkins and Dame Maggie Smith. What more could we want from a holiday movie? The story follows an ordinary young boy called Nikolas who sets out on an extraordinary adventure into the snowy north in search of his father who is on a quest to discover the

Little Henry Lawful takes the title role in the film

fabled village of the elves, Elfhelm. Taking with him a headstrong reindeer Blitzen and a loyal pet mouse, Nikolas soon meets his destiny and learns that nothing is impossible… Most of the movie was shot in the real home of Santa Clause, Lapland in Findland. 

 

JOE MANGANIELLO TO LEAD AMC'S MOONHAVEN TV SERIES WITH DOMINIC MONAGHAN! STUDIOCANAL TO TURN CULT GRAPHIC NOVELS CORTO MALTESE INTO A PERIOD SET TV SERIES

  JOE MANGANIELLO TO LEAD 

AMC'S MOONHAVEN SF SERIES

The utopian series focuses on Bella Sway (Emma McDonald), a lunar cargo pilot and smuggler 100 years in the future who finds

Joe Manganiello will lead Moonhaven series

herself accused of a crime and marooned on MOON HAVEN, a utopian community set on a 500 square mile Garden of Eden built on the Moon to find solutions to the problems that will soon end civilization on Mother Earth. A skeptic in Paradise, Bella is sucked into a conspiracy to gain control of the artificial intelligence responsible for Moonhaven’s miracles and teams with a local detective, Paul Serno (Dominic Monaghan), to stop the forces that want to destroy Earth’s last hope before they are destroyed themselves. Joe Manganiello will play Tomm Schultz. An ex-military with a philosophical bent, Tomm is the right hand of the lead Earth diplomat to the Moon, who finds his ambitions changed when he’s injected with a mind-altering Moon drug.

 

  CORTO MALTESE TV SERIES  

IN WORKS AT STUDIOCANAL

Speaking of new television projects, your trusted spy has recently heard rumours that one of our favourite European studios Studiocanal is

There were a few movie adaptions before

preparing a small screen TV series adaptation of famous cult comic book CORTO MALTESE. Based on the graphic novels by Hugo Pratt it will follow the stylish sea adventurer who has become something of a sex symbol over the decades. Corto Maltese is an enigmatic and laconic sea captain who lives in the first three decades of the 20th century. Born in Valletta on the island of Malta on 10 July 1887, the son of a sailor from Cornwall, and a gypsy from Seville. In his adventures full of real world references, Corto has often crossed with real historical characters like the American author Jack London, Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, Hermann Hesse, the American outlaw Butch Cassidy, the German World War I flying ace Red Baron, and many others.

CALLUM TURNER, JOE ALWYN, FELICITY JONES STAR IN THE LAST LETTER FROM YOUR LOVER PERIOD SET DRAMA TRAILER AIRING THIS SUMMER AT NETFLIX

 LAST LETTER FROM YOUR LOVER

TRAILER IS HERE WITH JOE ALWYN AND CALLUM TURNER

The movie will stream on Netflix in July

Just as they announced yesterday, Studiocanal has released a trailer for their new drama movie THE LAST LETTER FROM YOUR LOVER which arrives to Netflix July 23rd. The movie based on Jojo Mojes novel will air in UK only in cinemas from August 6th and in Scandinavia from July 30th! The dual narrative love story is set in the French Riviera and London during the 1960s and present day. The story follows Ellie (Felicity Jones), a young female journalist in contemporary London who uncovers a series of love letters in the archives which tell the story of an intensely romantic but star crossed affair in the 1960s between Jennifer Stirling (Shailene Woodley) and Anthony O’Hare (Callum

In some countries, the film will play only in theatres, not on Netflix

Turner). As Ellie is drawn into the story, she becomes obsessed with discovering the lovers’ identities and finding out how their love story ends. Joe Alwyn and Nabhaan Rizwan also star.

PREMIUM SPOTLIGHT ON WW2 EPIC TV SERIES SHADOWPLAY WITH TAYLOR KITSCH, LOGAN MARSHALL GREEN, MICHAEL C. HALL

   SHADOWPLAY TV SERIES  

SENDS TAYLOR KITSCH INTO WW2

This one has already aired this Autumn over on German ZDF channel (and will air on Canal+ in France), but we are still waiting to hear when it will air in the rest of the world. SHADOWPLAY has been conceived as a 16 episode

Shadowplay aired this October in Germany

series, told in two chapters. The initial eight episode shoot was done last year in Prague, and additional eight episodes were planned for filming in 2020 before covid hit us.

 

SHADOW PLAY 

is a character driven thriller series set in Berlin. It centres on the story of Max McLaughlin (Taylor Kitsch), an American cop who arrives in the city in the summer of 1946 to help create a police force in the chaotic aftermath of the war. Max’s goal is to take down “Engelmacher” Gladow (Sebastian Koch), the Capone of post-war Berlin. At the same time, Max undertakes a secret crusade to find his missing brother Moritz (Logan Marshall-Green), who is killing ex-Nazis in

The eight episode series was envisioned as a two season drama

hiding. However, Max is completely unaware that he is being used as a pawn in what is the very beginning of the Cold War. Michael C. Hall and Tuppence Middleton also star next to Nina Hoss.

ANNE HATHAWAY TO LEAD FRENCH CHILDREN DON'T THROW FOOD ADAPTATION! NORMAL PEOPLE MINI TV SERIES SETS AIRING DATES ON BBC AND HULU

    ANNE HATHAWAY

Anne Hathaway will take the lead role

TO LEAD FRENCH CHILDREN DON'T THROW FOOD MOVIE 

There's not a lot of casting news these days, my dear spylings, but here's at least one for you to somehow survive this week: as Deadline reports, Anne Hathaway will lead FRENCH CHILDREN DON'T THROW FOOD movie adaptation of Pamela Druckerman's biography for Studiocanal.  Druckerman’s autobiography follows her real life experience as a 35 year old American journalist in Paris contending with pregnancy and parenthood. Unlike her fellow Americans, Druckerman learns that pregnant French women aren’t purchasing every parenting bible known to man, nor are they obsessed about natural births or C-sections. As she tries to balance family life and her career, she looks to uncover why the French have such well-behaved children. However, it’s all a façade.

    'NORMAL PEOPLE' TRAILER

FOR NEW BBC AND HULU SERIES

Here's another suggestion on what to watch during the corona lockdown: although the plot and the cast do not sound overly exciting, the trailer itself

Normal People will air on BBC3 and Hulu

offers a rather human vibe and warmth which will obviously radiate throughout NORMAL PEOPLE, a new 12 part series which will air all its episodes from April 26th on BBC3 and then on Hulu from April 29th.It will also air on BBC1 as it is probably the last new series to air in a long time since most others have stopped mid production due to corona virus.

The story of Normal People TV Series follows Marianne (Daisy Edgar Jones) and Connell (Paul Mescal), from different backgrounds but the same small town in Ireland, as they weave in and out of each other's romantic lives. The sporadic and complicated relationship of two friends and lovers starts in the late stages of their school education, and the story follows their lives through their

The series is based on a bestselling book by Sally Rooney

university years at Trinity College. The series is based on the best selling book by Sally Rooney. Check out the trailer below and tell us what you think, will you be tuning in?

FIRST POSTER FOR ENCHANTING BIG SCREEN ADAPTATION OF THE SECRET GARDEN FAMOUS CHILDREN CLASSIC WITH COLIN FIRTH, JULIE WALTERS

  'THE SECRET GARDEN' POSTER

UNLOCK YOUR IMAGINATION 

Secret Garden opens its doors next April

Two months ago I showed you the first magical trailer and now Studiocanal has released the first poster for their enchanting big screen adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett's THE SECRET GARDEN with Julie Walters and Colin Firth, which arrives next spring (April 15th and 16th Australia and New Zealand and 17th in UK with Russian opening April 30th). Little Dixie Egerickx plays Lennox, a prickly and unloved 10 year old girl, born in India to wealthy British parents who is sent back to England to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven on his remote country estate deep in the Yorkshire moors. There, she begins to uncover many family secrets, particularly after meeting her sickly

This is the third movie adaptation of the famous classic novel

cousin Colin, who has been shut away in a wing of the house. Together, the two damaged, slightly misfit children heal each other through their discovery of a wondrous secret garden, lost in the grounds of Misselthwaite Manor.

CALLUM TURNER, FELICITY JONES, JOE ALWYN TO LEAD MOVIE ADAPTATION OF JOJO MOJES' NOVEL THE LAST LETTER FROM YOUR LOVER

  CALLUM TURNER TO LEAD

Callum Turner will go back to the 60s

LAST LETTER FROM YOUR LOVER ADAPTATION

While his magnificent thriller series The Capture just ended this week at BBC as the most exciting new drama this season, Callum Turner already has his next project lined up. Together with Felicity Jones, Joe Alwyn and Shailene Woodley he will lead THE LAST LETTER FROM YOUR LOVER for our favourite producer Studiocanal! The double love story set in different decades in London and the Riviera is actually based on the best selling novel by Jojo Moyes whose Me Before You with Sam Claflin and Emilia Clarke became a huge box office hit a few years ago. 

Love In Different Decades 
The story follows Ellie (Felicity Jones), a young female journalist in contemporary London who uncovers a series of love letters in the archives which tell the story of an intensely romantic but star-crossed affair in the

Joe Alwyn and Felicity Jones will also star in the movie

1960s between Jennifer Stirling (Shailene Woodley) and Anthony O’Hare (Callum Turner). As Ellie is drawn into the story, she becomes obsessed with discovering the lovers’ identities and finding out how their love story ends. The shooting begins next Monday in Mallorca.

MAGICAL THE SECRET GARDEN TRAILER WITH COLIN FIRTH, JULIE WALTERS IS HERE! PATRICK WILSON IS LOST IN A VERY SPOOKY FIELD IN THE TRAILER FOR NETFLIX AND STEPHEN KING HORROR IN THE TALL GRASS

  'IN THE TALL GRASS' TRAILER

STARRING PATRICK WILSON

After comedy on Monday, are you in the mood for some Tuesday spookiness? Netflix has revealed a trailer for their horror film IN THE 

Netflix will stream the movie October 4th

TALL GRASS a small screen adaptation of a novela by Stephen King and his son Joe Hill, which will stream on October 4th! Patrick Wilson leads the cast!

In The Tall Grass 
follows siblings Becky and Cal who answer the cries of a young boy lost in a vast field of tall grass. The two wander in to save him, only to become lost in the field themselves. They soon find themselves captured by a sinister force that rapidly disorients and separates them from one another. Cut off from the world and without a path to escape the field's tightening grip, the group soon comes to find that the only thing worse than getting lost is being found.

  'THE SECRET GARDEN' TRAILER

 COLIN FIRTH & JULIE WALTERS

Also filled with plants, but of a much more magical kind is Studiocanal's teaser for THE SECRET GARDEN with Julie Walters and Colin Firth, which arrives next spring. Little Dixie Egerickx plays  Lennox, a prickly and

The film is based on a classic novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett

unloved 10-year-old girl, born in India to wealthy British parents who is sent back to England to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven on his remote

The Secret Garden will open its doors sometime next spring

country estate deep in the Yorkshire moors. There, she begins to uncover many family secrets, particularly after meeting her sickly cousin Colin, who

Colin Firth plays uncle Archibald in the big screen adaptation

has been shut away in a wing of the house. Together, the two damaged, slightly misfit children heal each other through their discovery of a wondrous secret garden, lost in the grounds of Misselthwaite Manor.

BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS FAMILY FANTASY ADVENTURE CASTS MAGGIE SMITH, JIM BROADBENT, MICHIEL HUISMAN, SALLY HAWKINS, TOBY JONES, KRISTEN WIIG!

'BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS'

GATHERS A HELLUVA CAST!

This will certainly be a star studded movie! A whole bunch of well known names has just joined the cast of BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS a Studiocanal and Netflix family movie. Jim Broadbent, Toby Jones,

Les Miserables' Henry Lawfull and Michiel Huisman will lead the cast

Sally Hawkins, Michiel Huisman, Henry Lawfull, Maggie Smith and Kristen Wiig have all been signed. Oscar nominated Monster House director Gil Kenan is helming!

BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS
based on the first book in the five part series written by Matt Haig, raimagines the origin story of Father Christmas, following an ordinary young boy called Nikolas who sets out on an adventure into the snowy north in

Acting legends Jim Broadbent and Maggie Smith also star!

search of his father who is on a quest to discover the fabled village of the elves, Elfhelm. Taking with him a headstrong reindeer called Blitzen and a loyal pet mouse, the young boy soon meets his destiny.

RALPH FIENNES TO PLAY COMPOSER HANDEL IN HILARIOUS 18TH CENTURY COMEDY 'HALLELUJAH'! JULIE WALTERS, COLIN FIRTH TO LEAD 'SECRET GARDEN' PERIOD SET ADAPTATION!

'THE SECRET GARDEN' 

JULIE WALTERS AND COLIN FIRTH TO LEAD NEW FILM ADAPTATION

Colin Firth will be Archibald Craven

Only a month or two ago I informed you that our favourite Studiocanal is planning a new big screen adaptation of THE SECRET GARDEN and now they have stars too, massive thespians! Julie Walters and Colin Firth will lead the cast in the story moved from the Edwardian era to 1947, on the eve of Partition in India, and in the aftermath of WW2 in Britain.

Set in England and based on Frances Hodgson Burnett’s 1911 book, THE SECRET GARDEN tells the story of Mary Lennox (Dixie Egerickx), a prickly and unloved 10 year old girl, born in India to wealthy British parents who never wanted her.

Julie Walters will play the headhousekeeper

When her parents suddenly die, she is sent back to England to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven (Colin Firth), on his remote country estate deep in the Yorkshire moors. There, she begins to uncover many family secrets, particularly when she meets her sickly cousin Colin (Edan Hayhurst), shut away in a wing of the house. Together, the two damaged, slightly misfit children heal each other, partly through their exposure to a wondrous secret garden, lost in the grounds of Misselthwaite Manor. Julie Walters will play Mrs Medlock, the head housekeeper at Misselthwaite. Amir Wilson and Isis Davis will also star.

RALPH FIENNES 

IS HANDEL IN 'HALLELUJAH'

Fiennes will be famous composer Handel

In another period set movie, Ralph Fiennes and director Chris Addison will work together on comedy drama HALLELUJAH a period set movie on famous composer George Frederick Handel and the chaotic, spectacular first performance of his Messiah.

Set in a riotous 18th century London and Dublin, the farce follows drunk and cantankerous Handel who is a forgotten man to all but his whip smart valet. Worse still, he has lost his inspiration to compose. However, when he overhears the singing of famous actress Susannah Cibber, the composer is moved to write once again and King George II tasks him to create an oratorio to celebrate the new Irish Viceroy in Dublin. Yet, when Handel approaches Susannah with the news, he is shocked to learn that not only does she have a fear of singing in public, she’s also on the run from her vengeful husband. The motley crew travels to Dublin only to realize that London’s gin-soaked alleys are no match for the competing, sectarian politics of Dublin’s choirs, the stupidity of English overlords, and the hypocritical morals of the day. Confronted with these odds, Handel has no choice but to defy his critics and keep going. Show must go on.