Category: Hobbit Cast News
From Variety: Rachel Weisz, Ian McKellen and Susan Sarandon have joined Colin Firth in The Colossus, a colonial drama set in South Africa at the turn of the 20th century, to be directed by Sean Mathias. Based on Ann Harries’ novel “Manly Pursuits,” the $15 million film was written by Mathias and Myer Taub, and produced by Lisa Katselas. The Colossus is a fictionalized version of real events. It’s the story of ornithologist Francis Wills (Firth), who is hired to transport English songbirds to recently deposed South African prime minister Cecil Rhodes (McKellen). Wills falls in love with a firebrand political activist (Weisz) and becomes entangled in a plot to stop the imminent Boer War. Variety says the project is expected to shoot this fall. [More]
Ian McKellen and a scary looking Elijah Wood are currently in France promoting movies at the Cannes Film Festival. McKellen, in case you missed it, is there for ‘The Da Vinci Code’ while Wood is there for ‘Paris Je T’aime’. Take a look at a select few photos here. [More]
He’s a national treasure: an acting colossus whose extraordinary repertoire has taken in everything from Alfred the Great to Zebedee. And with the Da Vinci Code and X-Men 3 due for release next month, Sir Ian McKellen is showing no sign of putting up his feet. Here, he talks to Simon Garfield about American homophobics and English eccentrics, and why doing Corrie proves ‘he can’t be a star’. [More]
Rosie writes: The latest issue of Empire features Andy in it’s monthly “Pint of Milk” interview, where he reveals his ‘criminal’ past, nicking stuff from hotel rooms and how much he expects to pay for a pint of milk. [More]
Actor Christopher Lee has agreed to put aside his differences with Kiwi director Peter Jackson – but will never forgive him for axing his scenes from The Return of the King. Speaking exclusively to the Herald on Sunday at the Rose d’Or festival in Switzerland last night, Lee revealed that while he was still upset by the decision to remove his character, Saruman, from the third instalment of the Lord of the Rings series, it was now time to move on. “When the third film came along and I wasn’t in it, I didn’t understand,” he said. “And I still don’t. “However, you can have a difference of opinion in any walk of life but you can’t have ongoing arguments. I like Peter very much. He’s a brilliant director. I just don’t know why he did what he did.” [More]