Richard Madden (Game of Thrones) has been cast as the Prince in Disney’s upcoming live-action CINDERELLA. As previously announced, the film is being directed by Sir Kenneth Branagh, stars Cate Blanchett as the wicked stepmother and features Lily James in the title role.
Here’s hoping this version includes the mice, Gus and Jaq, who were in the 1950’s animated movie. Stayed tuned for more casting updates.
Actress Lily James (Downton Abbey) has been cast as CINDERELLA in Disney’s upcoming live-action interpretation of the beloved classic tale.
In addition to TV’s Downton Abbey, James’ previous film credits include 2012’s WRATH OF THE TITANS and FAST GIRLS.
The film is being directed by Sir Kenneth Branagh (THOR) and stars Cate Blanchett (THE HOBBIT) as the iconic evil stepmother.
Stayed tuned for more news on CINDERELLA and her glass slipper in the coming weeks.
Photo credit: David Lee (c) 2012 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions announced today that principal photography has begun on JACK RYAN, from Academy Award®-nominated director Kenneth Branagh, starring Chris Pine, Academy Award®-nominated Keira Knightley and Academy Award®-nominated Kevin Costner. Branagh has helmed films such as THOR, FRANKENSTEIN and DEAD AGAIN. He’s become a very astute director and I have no doubt he’ll do another fine job with this contemporary action thriller. I really am impressed that Branagh, in addition to directing the film, will take on the role of Russian oligarch Viktor Cherevin. Check out the movies I mentioned if you’ve never seen Branagh the actor. Presently he’s on PBS as “Kurt Wallander” in the WALLANDER series Sunday nights on PBS.
Based on the Jack Ryan character created by bestselling author Tom Clancy, JACK RYAN is set in the present day. The original story, written by David Koepp (ANGELS AND DEMONS, WAR OF THE WORLDS), follows a young Jack as he uncovers a financial terrorist plot. JACK RYAN stars Pine (STAR TREK’s Captain Kirk, RISE OF THE GUARDIANS – Can’t wait for this!) as the title character; Knightley (ANNA KARENINA, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN franchise) as his fiancé Cathy Muller; Costner ( TV’s HATFIELDS & MCCOYS, DANCES WITH WOLVES) as Ryan’s CIA handler Harper; and Peter Andersson (THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO trilogy) as security agent Dmitri Lemkov.
Photo credit: David Lee (c) 2012 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
There’s a lot of tried-and-true producers on this film as well. Lorenzo di Bonaventura (TRANSFORMERS, RED) will produce through his Di Bonaventura Pictures banner, along with Mace Neufeld (THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, PATRIOT GAMES) and David Barron of the HARRY POTTER franchise. David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Paul Schwake of Skydance Productions (MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL, TRUE GRIT) will executive produce along with Tommy Harper (MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL).
The film is shooting in New York, Moscow and London and is slated for release on December 25, 2013.
Photo credit: David Lee (c) 2012 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
Paramount Pictures has sent to us these 2 first look images from the set of director Kenneth Branagh’s JACK RYAN. The prequel, shooting in downtown Manhattan,will be out Christmas Day 2013. Chris Pine plays young Jack Ryan, cruising the downtown streets of Manhattan for JACK RYAN, from Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions.
Photo credit: David Lee (c) 2012 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
Kevin Costner (far right) as a legendary CIA Field Agent with Chris Pine (center) in JACK RYAN. Branagh, who helmed Paramount’s THOR, continues his roll as an action director and I can’t wait to see what he does with Tom Clancy’s characters.
The San Francisco Film Societyannounced today that Kenneth Branagh will be the recipient of the Founder’s Directing Award at the 55th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 19 – May 3). The FDA will be presented to Branagh at Film Society Awards Night, Thursday, April 26 at the historic Warfield Theatre.
The Film Society and its highly regarded Youth Education program will be the beneficiary of the fundraiser honoring Branagh. The soon-to-be-announced recipients of the Peter J. Owens Award for excellence in acting and the Kanbar Award for excellence in screenwriting will also be honored at the star-studded event. Susie and Pat McBaine and Katie and Todd Traina are chairs of this year’s Film Society Awards Night gala, and Melanie and Larry Blum are the honorary chairs.
“We are thrilled to honor Kenneth Branagh for his remarkable directorial achievements and multifaceted career at this year’s Festival,” said Melanie Blum, the San Francisco Film Society’s interim executive director. “He is in the midst of a much-lauded career that has included a number of the most innovative stagings of Shakespeare’s work ever put to the screen, for which he is best known. A brilliant ensemble comedy and most recently a superhero epic have also benefited from his exceptional skill as an actors’ director.”
Branagh will also be honored at An Evening with Kenneth Branagh at the Castro Theatre at 7:30 pm, Friday, April 27. An onstage interview and a selection of clips from his impressive directing career will be followed by a screening of Dead Again (USA 1991, 107 min.). A wise-cracking Los Angeles P.I. (Branagh) stumbles on the case of a lifetime, or two, when he’s asked to help identify a woman suffering amnesia (Emma Thompson), leading both back to a once-notorious now forgotten society murder in this time-tripping psychological thriller, the spellbinding second feature from this year’s multifaceted Founder’s Directing Award recipient.
Branagh is one of the world’s most consistently acclaimed filmmakers. As an actor and director, his work is trademarked by quality, truth and passion. While he first garnered accolades in 1989 for his charismatic channeling of Shakespeare in his universally lauded film version ofHenry V — which he adapted, starred in and directed and which was nominated for two Academy Awards — and has been dedicated to presenting Shakespeare (Much Ado About Nothing, SFIFF 1993) to contemporary audiences ever since, Branagh has also made his mark with unforgettable turns as an actor and director of non-Elizabethan fare including the commercial hit Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein with Robert De Niro, the ensemble comedyPeter’s Friends, a film of Mozart’s opera The Magic Fluteand Sleuth, written by Harold Pinter and starring Jude Law and Michael Caine.
Branagh is currently receiving a lot of attention for last year’s Academy Award-nominated performance as Sir Laurence Olivier in My Week with Marilyn, a role based on the tense interaction between Olivier and Marilyn Monroe (Michelle Williams) during a film production. This marks Branagh’s fifth career Academy Award nomination, making him the first person to receive five nominations in five separate categories (Actor, Supporting Actor, Director, Screenplay and Live Action Short). Also in 2011 Branagh released the Marvel action adventure Thor, which he directed. To date, the film has grossed more than $450 million worldwide.
The Founder’s Directing Award is presented each year to a master of world cinema and is given in memory of Irving M. Levin, visionary founder of the San Francisco International Film Festival in 1957. It is made possible by Fred M. Levin and Nancy Livingston. The award was first bestowed in 1986 on iconic filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, and for many years carried his name.
The award has brought many of the world’s most visionary directors to the San Francisco International Film festival over the years. Previous recipients are Oliver Stone, USA; Walter Salles, Brazil; Francis Ford Coppola, USA; Mike Leigh, England; Spike Lee, USA; Werner Herzog, Germany; Taylor Hackford, USA; Milos Forman, Czechoslovakia/USA; Robert Altman, USA; Warren Beatty, USA; Clint Eastwood, USA; Abbas Kiarostami, Iran; Arturo Ripstein, Mexico; Im Kwon-Taek, Korea; Francesco Rosi, Italy; Arthur Penn, USA; Stanley Donen, USA; Manoel de Oliveira, Portugal; Ousmane Sembène, Senegal; Satyajit Ray, India; Marcel Carné, France; Jirí Menzel, Czechoslovakia; Joseph L. Mankiewicz, USA; Robert Bresson, France; Michael Powell, England; and Akira Kurosawa, Japan.
For tickets and information for Film Society Awards Night only call 415-561-5049 or email menglish@sffs.org.
Tickets An Evening with Kenneth Branagh $24 for SFFS members, $30 for the general public. Box office opens March 19 for SFFS members online at sffs.org and in person at SF Film Society Cinema (1746 Post Street, Webster/Buchanan). Box office opens March 21 for the general public. Festival Premier Package on sale March 27, visit festival.sffs.org for details.
For tickets and information visit festival.sffs.org.
The Weinstein Company announced this morning that four-time Academy Award nominee Kenneth Branagh will participate in a live webcast Q&A from Sweden where he is currently on the set of “Wallander.”
The event will take place TODAY, Thursday, December 8th at 2:00 PM EST.
The Q&A will be streaming online exclusively at The Huffington Post allowing film fans across the country a unique opportunity to submit questions and participate in a discussion with Mr. Branagh regarding the making of MY WEEK WITH MARILYN, working with the film’s terrific ensemble cast and Branagh’s own illustrious career. Additionally, fans can ask questions via Facebook and Twitter. The Weinstein Company hosted a similar event last year with the film “The King’s Speech” and had over 20,000 questions submitted in a 30 minute period during the Q&A. Please visit the live chat at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kenneth-branagh/making-my-week-with-maril_b_1136692.html, at http://myweekwithmarilyn.com, or on ustream at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/kennethbranagh.
In the early summer of 1956, 23 year-old Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne), just down from Oxford and determined to make his way in the film business, worked as a lowly assistant on the set of ‘The Prince and the Showgirl’. The film that famously united Sir Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh) and Marilyn Monroe (Michelle Williams), who was also on honeymoon with her new husband, the playwright Arthur Miller (Dougray Scott). Nearly 40 years on, his diary account The Prince, the Showgirl and Me was published, but one week was missing and this was published some years later as My Week with Marilyn – this is the story of that week. When Arthur Miller leaves England, the coast is clear for Colin to introduce Marilyn to some of the pleasures of British life; an idyllic week in which he escorted a Monroe desperate to get away from her retinue of Hollywood hangers-on and the pressures of work.
The film is currently in select theaters and opens nationwide on Christmas Day.
MY WEEK WITH MARILYN
November 23, 2011 – Limited
Distributed by: The Weinstein Company
Directed by: Simon Curtis
Written by: Adrian Hodges
Based on Colin Clark’s diaries, ‘The Prince, The Showgirl and Me’ and ‘My Week with Marilyn
Produced by: Colin Vaines, David Parfitt, Mark Cooper, Cleone Clark,
Cast: Michelle Williams, Eddie Redmayne, Kenneth Branagh, Judi Dench, Julia Ormond, Dougray Scott, Zoe Wanamaker, Emma Watson, Toby Jones, Philip Jackson, Geraldine Somerville, Derek Jacobi, Simon Russell Beale, Dominic Cooper
Synopsis:
In the early summer of 1956, 23 year-old Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne), just down from Oxford and determined to make his way in the film business, worked as a lowly assistant on the set of ‘The Prince and the Showgirl’. The film that famously united Sir Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh) and Marilyn Monroe (Michelle Williams), who was also on honeymoon with her new husband, the playwright Aurthur Miller (Dougray Scott).
Nearly 40 years on, his diary account The Prince, the Showgirl and Me was published, but one week was missing and this was published some years later as My Week with Marilyn – this is the story of that week. When Arthur Miller leaves England, the coast is clear for Colin to introduce Marilyn to some of the pleasures of British life; an idyllic week in which he escorted a Monroe desperate to get away from her retinue of Hollywood hangers-on and the pressures of work.
Facebook: http://Facebook.com/myweekwithmarilyn
Website: http://myweekwithmarilynmovie.com/
About The Weinstein Company:
The Weinstein Company (TWC) is a multimedia production and distribution company launched in October 2005 by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films in 1979. TWC also encompasses Dimension Films, the genre label founded in 1993 by Bob Weinstein, which has released such popular franchises as SCREAM, SPY KIDS and SCARY MOVIE. Together TWC and Dimension Films have released a broad range of mainstream, genre and specialty films that have been commercial and critical successes, including Tom Hooper’s THE KING’S SPEECH, winner of four 2011 Academy Awards®, including Best Picture.
Since 2005, TWC and Dimension Films have released such films as GRINDHOUSE; I’M NOT THERE; THE GREAT DEBATERS; VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA; THE READER; THE ROAD; HALLOWEEN; THE PAT TILLMAN STORY; PIRANHA 3D; INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS; A SINGLE MAN; BLUE VALENTINE; THE COMPANY MEN; MIRAL; SCRE4M; SUBMARINE; DIRTY GIRL; APOLLO 18; OUR IDIOT BROTHER; and I DON’T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT. Currently in release are SARAH’S KEY; SPY KIDS: ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD IN 4D; MY WEEK WITH MARILYN; and THE ARTIST. Upcoming releases include PIRANHA 3DD; W.E.; and THE IRON LADY.
In theaters on November 23rd, watch this new clip from MY WEEK WITH MARILYN starring Michelle Williams, Kenneth Brannagh, Eddie Redmayne, Dominic Cooper, and Judi Dench.
SYNOPSIS:
In the early summer of 1956, 23 year-old Colin Clark, just down from Oxford and determined to make his way in the film business, worked as a lowly assistant on the set of “THE PRINCE AND THE SHOWGIRL”, the film that united Sir Laurence Olivier with Marilyn Monroe, who, whilst shooting, was also on honeymoon with her new husband, the playwright Arthur Miller.
Nearly 40 years on, his diary account “THE PRINCE, THE SHOWGIRL AND ME” was published, but one week was missing, and this is the story of that week: an idyll in which he escorted a Monroe desperate to get away from her retinue of Hollywood hangers-on and the pressures of working. When Arthur Miller makes a brief trip to Paris, the coast is clear for Colin to introduce her to some of the pleasures of British life.
The collision of the two worlds – old England and new Hollywood – is as incongruous as it is delightful. Slowly Marilyn begins to shake off the dark fog of insecurity and fear always hovering around her. She reacts with lovely naturalness to this alien world and as she relaxes she offers Colin fleeting insights into her own background – one of family madness, single-minded ambition and uninhibited sexuality. Simply and without self-pity, she relates the tale of her rise to the top in Hollywood; a story involving abuse of one form or another at the hands of almost every man she has ever known, abuse that has left her with only the thinnest of protective layers.
She is not without her contradictions – everyone wants something from her, but she too is fixated on the life she has chosen and is quite unable to leave it, even though the pressure is crushing her…
… and yet, for a moment, lost in the English countryside, it seems she might finally escape.
Official Site: http://www.myweekwithmarilynmovie.com/
“Like” the film on Facebook: www.facebook.com/myweekwithmarilyn
I truly hope Michelle Williams doesn’t mind me saying so, but if I wasn’t already smitten for her in the role of Marylin Monroe, I certainly am now after seeing image above. It’s not a sexual thing, well… not entirely. One of the many things I’ve always found fascinating about Marylin is how truly destined for the camera she was. I would even venture so far to say the still camera captured her charming essence of playfully naughty innocence even more perfectly than motion pictures. Each time I see something else surface from this film, I’m that much more intrigued… I just hope it lives up to my own hype.
MY WEEK WITH MARILYN had it’s world premiere last night at the Centerpiece Gala of the New York Film Festival.
Simon Curtis has produced and directed numerous British television projects such as Cranford, Hunter (both mini-series) and A Short Stay in Switzerland. MY WEEK WITH MARILYNÂ marks his first theatrical feature.
Michael Musto of The Village Voice on MY WEEK WITH MARILYN:
“I just saw My Week With Marilyn at the New York Film Festival, and it turns out to be a sweet and incisive true story about a production assistant’s interplay with the screen legend during the tumultuous filming of The Prince and The Showgirl. Those expecting a lot of boo-poo-pee-dooing will be deeply disappointed. Williams plays the human side of Marilyn, going for softer, more subtle hues. At the festival, Williams explained that ‘Marilyn Monroe was a character that she played and the image you’re most familiar with. There was a person underneath that.'”
Check out the trailer that debuted last week!
Synopsis:
In the early summer of 1956, 23 year-old Colin Clark, just down from Oxford and determined to make his way in the film business, worked as a lowly assistant on the set of “THE PRINCE AND THE SHOWGIRL”, the film that united Sir Laurence Olivier with Marilyn Monroe, who, whilst shooting, was also on honeymoon with her new husband, the playwright Arthur Miller.
Nearly 40 years on, his diary account… THE PRINCE, THE SHOWGIRL AND ME was published, but one week was missing, and this is the story of that week: an idyll in which he escorted a Monroe desperate to get away from her retinue of Hollywood hangers-on and the pressures of working. When Arthur Miller makes a brief trip to Paris, the coast is clear for Colin to introduce her to some of the pleasures of British life.
The collision of the two worlds – old England and new Hollywood – is as incongruous as it is delightful. Slowly Marilyn begins to shake off the dark fog of insecurity and fear always hovering around her. She reacts with lovely naturalness to this alien world and as she relaxes she offers Colin fleeting insights into her own background – one of family madness, single-minded ambition and uninhibited sexuality. Simply and without self-pity, she relates the tale of her rise to the top in Hollywood; a story involving abuse of one form or another at the hands of almost every man she has ever known, abuse that has left her with only the thinnest of protective layers.
She is not without her contradictions – everyone wants something from her, but she too is fixated on the life she has chosen and is quite unable to leave it, even though the pressure is crushing her…
… and yet, for a moment, lost in the English countryside, it seems she might finally escape.
MY WEEK WITH MARILYN is set to hit theaters on November 4th, 2011.
“Like” the film on Facebook: www.facebook.com/myweekwithmarilyn
Photo Caption: Eddie Redmayne as Colin Clark, Dougray Scott as Arthur Miller and Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe in Simon Curtis’s film MY WEEK WITH MARILYN. Photo by: Laurence Cendrowicz/The Weinstein Company
This short peak into the film highlights the drama in store, a story that focuses on the inner conflict of Norma Jean and Marylin Monroe, the hidden struggle between keeping up her showbiz persona and losing touch with herself. An array of fine performances are also on display as well, so watch Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe in the new My Week With Marilyn trailer!
Synopsis:
In the early summer of 1956, 23 year-old Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne), just down from Oxford and determined to make his way in the film business, worked as a lowly assistant on the set of ‘The Prince and the Showgirl’. The film that famously united Sir Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh) and Marilyn Monroe (Michelle Williams), who was also on honeymoon with her new husband, the playwright Aurthur Miller (Dougray Scott).
Nearly 40 years on, his diary account The Prince, the Showgirl and Me was published, but one week was missing and this was published some years later as My Week with Marilyn – this is the story of that week. When Arthur Miller leaves England, the coast is clear for Colin to introduce Marilyn to some of the pleasures of British life; an idyllic week in which he escorted a Monroe desperate to get away from her retinue of Hollywood hangers-on and the pressures of work.
MY WEEK WITH MARILYN is set to hit theaters on November 4th, 2011.
“Like” the film on Facebook: www.facebook.com/myweekwithmarilyn
Check out the newly released official poster for Simon Curtis’ MY WEEK WITH MARILYN, starring Michelle Williams as the blond bombshell actress and Hollywood icon. The poster captures the essence of Tinseltown royalty she enjoyed, but ultimately succumbed to in the end, with the contract of her color against the black-and-white background separating her from the crowd. She was just another girl, until she decided to do whatever it took to become somebody.
MY WEEK WITH MARILYN is set to hit theaters on November 4th, 2011.
