From contactmusic.com: LORD OF THE RINGS star ANDY SERKIS is to hit the studio with late punk icon IAN DURY’s backing band THE BLOCKHEADS to re-record the HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK hitmaker’s beloved tunes. The Blockheads have given Serkis their blessing to play their frontman, who died in 2000, in an upcoming biopic and will rehearse classic tracks with the actor, who once confessed that Dury’s Reasons To Be Cheerful, Part 3 was among his favourite tunes of all time. Blockheads star Mick Gallagher says, “Andy Serkis’ll do a great job… We’re recording 12 songs for the film; it’ll be live and really retro and straight ahead.”
Category: Hobbit Cast News
Cate Blanchett will play Maid Marian alongside Russell Crowe’s Robin Hood in the Ridley Scott-directed adventure pic for Universal Pictures. The film, which had been called “Nottingham” but is undergoing a title change, begins production in early April. Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer is producing with Scott and his Scott Free banner. The drama, originally scripted by Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris and then rewritten by Brian Helgeland, has evolved into a “Gladiator” version of the Robin Hood legend. Crowe starred in that film and Scott directed it. The film will be shot on a $130 million budget, benefiting from favorable exchange rates and tax credits that come from shooting in London. Scott will be aiming for a PG-13 rating. Robin Hood woos Cate Blanchett
Message board member diedye found this IGN interview in which Christopher Lee discusses his role as a Bond baddie in “Man with the Golden Gun,” and speculates about reprising the role of Saruman in the upcoming Hobbit films. This part, in particular, sounds promising:
“IGN: Would you be willing to reprise the role?
Lee: In the spirit very much so. But I’ve reached an age now [86] where going to New Zealand again would be a very considerable effort. It would not be easy because it’s an exhausting journey. Even with a break I’m not sure I could do it.
IGN: If they could film your part in London, would you be interested?
Lee: Oh yes, of course. I’d be delighted.”
Lee: In the spirit very much so. But I’ve reached an age now [86] where going to New Zealand again would be a very considerable effort. It would not be easy because it’s an exhausting journey. Even with a break I’m not sure I could do it.
IGN: If they could film your part in London, would you be interested?
Lee: Oh yes, of course. I’d be delighted.”
In case you were wondering how the man who portrayed Gollum in the Lord of the Rings films feels about videogames, Babble put up a fascinating interview with Andy Serkis (via Ars Technica) in which the actor discusses storytelling in games, the challenges of parenting as an atheist vegetarian, and, uh, being eaten alive by an enormous, toothy phallus. Seriously. “Games — there’s no heart in them,” asserted Serkis — himself a veteran of Heavenly Sword’s development. “They’re not about anything that is lasting,” he continued, and whether or not you agree with that assessment of gaming’s current state, the actor has some interesting thoughts on the future of the medium. Andy Serkis Talks Storytelling in Games
Gwynne Watkins, Senior Editor for babble.com writes: I thought you might be interested in this Andy Serkis interview I did for the parenting site Babble.com. Some interesting anecdotes about playing Gollum and other characters, and the sometimes-hilarious reactions of his kids… Andy Serkis Interview