The best joke in “History of the World, Part I” is the tablets. Moses descending from the mountaintop, bearing 15 commandments, only to drop one of the three in his armful, is as simple and elegant as you can get. It’s in Mel Brooks’ delivery, but it’s also in the way that punchline plays in any area. Any era, from vaudeville to Vine, gets an equal shot at that laugh.
Arguably, the second best joke in “History of the World, Part I” is the quick epilogue that smushes together slices of ideas as a test case for what a potential sequel might have looked like. The stuff wedged into the end of that 1981 movie is weirder, more abstract, and, yes, shorter. For decades, the fact that “Part 2” never came only made it funnier in its own way.
42 years later, the new Hulu series “History of the World, Part...
Arguably, the second best joke in “History of the World, Part I” is the quick epilogue that smushes together slices of ideas as a test case for what a potential sequel might have looked like. The stuff wedged into the end of that 1981 movie is weirder, more abstract, and, yes, shorter. For decades, the fact that “Part 2” never came only made it funnier in its own way.
42 years later, the new Hulu series “History of the World, Part...
- 3/6/2023
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Mel Brooks came up with the title to his 1981 comedy feature “History of the World, Part I” as a joke. There were never any plans to make a Part II.
Until now.
As the streaming revolution took hold, Brooks, his producing partner Kevin Salter and rightsholder Searchlight Pictures decided to explore a long overdue sequel, but in series form. That’s when they contacted Nick Kroll, who’s known for his sketch comedy (in addition to the painfully funny take on adolescence “Big Mouth”), to kick around a “Part II” that was four decades not in the making.
“There was something slightly more exciting about hearing from Mel Brooks, with all due respect to the wonderful folks at Searchlight,” Kroll says.
Kroll brought in Wanda Sykes, Ike Barinholtz, and David Stassen to develop the 21st century take on the original. But they didn’t want to do a new “History...
Until now.
As the streaming revolution took hold, Brooks, his producing partner Kevin Salter and rightsholder Searchlight Pictures decided to explore a long overdue sequel, but in series form. That’s when they contacted Nick Kroll, who’s known for his sketch comedy (in addition to the painfully funny take on adolescence “Big Mouth”), to kick around a “Part II” that was four decades not in the making.
“There was something slightly more exciting about hearing from Mel Brooks, with all due respect to the wonderful folks at Searchlight,” Kroll says.
Kroll brought in Wanda Sykes, Ike Barinholtz, and David Stassen to develop the 21st century take on the original. But they didn’t want to do a new “History...
- 3/6/2023
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Whatever you say about “The Power of the Doctor”, you can’t accuse it of not having enough ideas. The Master, the Daleks, not one but two old companions, that regeneration scene, and to top it all off, it turned out to have a celebrity historical element thrown in for good measure.
Well, kind of, anyway. For while we do see someone who is referred to as Rasputin early on in “The Power of the Doctor”, it quickly turns out to be a familiar Time Lord in disguise.
The real Rasputin, also known as “the mad monk”, was a mystic and holy man who befriended the family of Tsar Nicholas II, gaining a great deal of influence over him and his family, and some would say, becoming a malign force.
Frankly, it is a surprise he’s not been on the show sooner. In fact, with his rumoured mystic powers,...
Well, kind of, anyway. For while we do see someone who is referred to as Rasputin early on in “The Power of the Doctor”, it quickly turns out to be a familiar Time Lord in disguise.
The real Rasputin, also known as “the mad monk”, was a mystic and holy man who befriended the family of Tsar Nicholas II, gaining a great deal of influence over him and his family, and some would say, becoming a malign force.
Frankly, it is a surprise he’s not been on the show sooner. In fact, with his rumoured mystic powers,...
- 10/24/2022
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
It may well be an unconscious impulse but the writers are directly or indirectly influenced by their socio-political millieu, even when opposing it, and you don’t need to be a Marxist to acknowledge that.
As Edward Said showed in his examination of ‘Orientalism’, or recent works showcasing the overt or covert politics of such literary figures as William Wordsworth (Jonathan Bate’s "Radical Wordsworth: The Poet Who Changed the World") and Jane Austen, politics can intrude into the poetic realm or comedies of manners — or other forms of fiction, too. And this can span the entire gamut from literary classics to pulp fiction.
The Cold War is a fitting example. As two contrasting systems of social and political organisation vied for global influence, the conflict for influencing hearts and minds underpinned the diplomatic and military manoeuvres.
Duncan White’s "Cold Warriors: Writers Who Waged the Literary Cold War" (2019) offers...
As Edward Said showed in his examination of ‘Orientalism’, or recent works showcasing the overt or covert politics of such literary figures as William Wordsworth (Jonathan Bate’s "Radical Wordsworth: The Poet Who Changed the World") and Jane Austen, politics can intrude into the poetic realm or comedies of manners — or other forms of fiction, too. And this can span the entire gamut from literary classics to pulp fiction.
The Cold War is a fitting example. As two contrasting systems of social and political organisation vied for global influence, the conflict for influencing hearts and minds underpinned the diplomatic and military manoeuvres.
Duncan White’s "Cold Warriors: Writers Who Waged the Literary Cold War" (2019) offers...
- 9/4/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
Gunther VI, a German shepherd with more wealth than the vast majority of the human species, will, unfortunately, need to be executed in the coming class war. Like the youngest children of Tsar Nicholas II, his death will be tragic in that he’s an innocent, born into a life of unfair luxury that he didn’t ask for.
- 11/19/2021
- by Reid McCarter
- avclub.com
English-language film will make use of new material about composer’s turbulent private life.
London-based producer David P Kelly has come on board as the UK partner on Alexey Uchitel’s new feature about Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich, to be made as a Russia-uk co-production.
The film will make use of new material that has come to light from the composer’s widow about his turbulent private life.
Written by Alexander Terekhov, the English-language project follows the untold aspects of the composer’s life and works.
Rock Films is the Russian partner, and has finalised a co-production agreement with Kelly’s David P Kelly Films,...
London-based producer David P Kelly has come on board as the UK partner on Alexey Uchitel’s new feature about Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich, to be made as a Russia-uk co-production.
The film will make use of new material that has come to light from the composer’s widow about his turbulent private life.
Written by Alexander Terekhov, the English-language project follows the untold aspects of the composer’s life and works.
Rock Films is the Russian partner, and has finalised a co-production agreement with Kelly’s David P Kelly Films,...
- 7/11/2021
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Tony- and Golden Globe-winning production company Playground is expanding into immersive theatre with a financial investment in Witness, the new theater company behind sold-out New York productions of Noirtown and The Visitation.
Witness was created and is being led by Artistic Director Michael Bontatibus, a former creative executive at Playground.
“What is so exciting about Michael’s work at Witness is that through a brilliant combination of imagination and ingenuity he created fully immersive experiences with both Noirtown and The Visitation that attracted audiences in their droves,” said Colin Callender, Chairman and CEO of Playground. “The success of both productions is proof positive that people are hungry for experiential storytelling that is bold, innovative and entertaining.”
Callender said Playground will work with Witness “to help them expand the scale and frequency of their extraordinary productions, and to further explore the...
Witness was created and is being led by Artistic Director Michael Bontatibus, a former creative executive at Playground.
“What is so exciting about Michael’s work at Witness is that through a brilliant combination of imagination and ingenuity he created fully immersive experiences with both Noirtown and The Visitation that attracted audiences in their droves,” said Colin Callender, Chairman and CEO of Playground. “The success of both productions is proof positive that people are hungry for experiential storytelling that is bold, innovative and entertaining.”
Callender said Playground will work with Witness “to help them expand the scale and frequency of their extraordinary productions, and to further explore the...
- 12/10/2019
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
We all know that Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip have one of the great royal love stories of our time. Evidence of that love story sits right there on the queen's finger every day via her wedding band and engagement ring. Like many royal (and non-royal) women, the queen wears her two rings and has since her 1947 wedding. And, just like so many others, she has quite a story behind both of her rings.
As Town and Country explains, the engagement ring that Philip gave to Elizabeth in 1946 was both a family heirloom and a brand-new piece. Confused? Let us explain. The ring includes a center diamond, surrounded by several smaller, pavé diamonds. Although the ring itself was new, the diamonds were not. When he revealed his plans to propose, Philip's mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, gave him a tiara that she herself had been given on her wedding day...
As Town and Country explains, the engagement ring that Philip gave to Elizabeth in 1946 was both a family heirloom and a brand-new piece. Confused? Let us explain. The ring includes a center diamond, surrounded by several smaller, pavé diamonds. Although the ring itself was new, the diamonds were not. When he revealed his plans to propose, Philip's mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, gave him a tiara that she herself had been given on her wedding day...
- 9/30/2019
- by Amanda Prahl
- Popsugar.com
Disney has unveiled a title, brief plot details and an expected release date for Matthew Vaughn’s third outing in the ‘Kingsman’ franchise.
First up, Vaughn’s prequel has been given the official title of ‘The King’s Man’ leaving behind the working title of ‘Kingsman: The Great Game’.
Leaving behind the high-octane action feel, the prequel is thought to be more of a period drama. The plot details state, As a collection of history’s worst tyrants and criminal masterminds gather to plot a war to wipe out millions, one man must race against time to stop them. Discover the origins of the very first independent intelligence agency in ‘The King’s Man’.
Also in news – Michael Fassbender to tackle spy franchise ‘Malko’
Gemma Arterton and Aaron Taylor-Johnson will be joining Daniel Bruhl, Charles Dance, Matthew Goode, Rhys Ifans, Djimon Hounsou and Alison Steadman. The film focuses on the...
First up, Vaughn’s prequel has been given the official title of ‘The King’s Man’ leaving behind the working title of ‘Kingsman: The Great Game’.
Leaving behind the high-octane action feel, the prequel is thought to be more of a period drama. The plot details state, As a collection of history’s worst tyrants and criminal masterminds gather to plot a war to wipe out millions, one man must race against time to stop them. Discover the origins of the very first independent intelligence agency in ‘The King’s Man’.
Also in news – Michael Fassbender to tackle spy franchise ‘Malko’
Gemma Arterton and Aaron Taylor-Johnson will be joining Daniel Bruhl, Charles Dance, Matthew Goode, Rhys Ifans, Djimon Hounsou and Alison Steadman. The film focuses on the...
- 6/20/2019
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
According to a recent report from Deadline, Liam Neeson has been cast in Matthew Vaughn’s upcoming Kingsman prequel film, Kingsman: The Great Game. The actor’s name was mentioned as if it was something that was already known, but it’s the first time his name has been associated with the film, so that’s cool! Neeson will make an awesome addition to the movie!
We don’t know who Neeson will be playing, but he will join the previously cast Ralph Fiennes and Harris Dickinson (The Darkest Minds), which will reportedly take place in 1910. Then it was reported that Brad Pitt and Rachel Weisz were in talks as well. The movie will also include Daniel Brühl (Captain America: Civil War), Game of Thrones star Charles Dance, Rhys Ifans (Harry Potter, Spider-Man), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass), and Matthew Goode (Watchmen).
The hero of the story is a character named Conrad,...
We don’t know who Neeson will be playing, but he will join the previously cast Ralph Fiennes and Harris Dickinson (The Darkest Minds), which will reportedly take place in 1910. Then it was reported that Brad Pitt and Rachel Weisz were in talks as well. The movie will also include Daniel Brühl (Captain America: Civil War), Game of Thrones star Charles Dance, Rhys Ifans (Harry Potter, Spider-Man), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass), and Matthew Goode (Watchmen).
The hero of the story is a character named Conrad,...
- 5/29/2019
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
It looks like Kick-Ass star Aaron Taylor-Johnson will re-team with director Matthew Vaughn for the Kingsman prequel film Kingsman: The Great Game.
We don’t know who he’ll be playing, but he will join a great cast. We previously learned that Ralph Fiennes and Harris Dickinson (The Darkest Minds) joined the film, which will reportedly take place in 1910. Then it was reported that Brad Pitt and Rachel Weisz were in talks as well. The movie will also include Daniel Brühl (Captain America: Civil War), Game of Thrones star Charles Dance, Rhys Ifans (Harry Potter, Spider-Man), and Matthew Goode (Watchmen).
It’s was previously revealed that the hero of the story is a character named Conrad, “a cocky young son of a British Duke determined to serve his country.” His parents are the “Duke and Duchess of Oxford and that Conrad will find himself thrust into the midst the world...
We don’t know who he’ll be playing, but he will join a great cast. We previously learned that Ralph Fiennes and Harris Dickinson (The Darkest Minds) joined the film, which will reportedly take place in 1910. Then it was reported that Brad Pitt and Rachel Weisz were in talks as well. The movie will also include Daniel Brühl (Captain America: Civil War), Game of Thrones star Charles Dance, Rhys Ifans (Harry Potter, Spider-Man), and Matthew Goode (Watchmen).
It’s was previously revealed that the hero of the story is a character named Conrad, “a cocky young son of a British Duke determined to serve his country.” His parents are the “Duke and Duchess of Oxford and that Conrad will find himself thrust into the midst the world...
- 2/11/2019
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Gemma Arterton have been confirmed as the newest members of Matthew Vaughn’s ‘Kingsman’ prequel.
Arterton and Taylor-Johnson will be joining Daniel Bruhl, Charles Dance, Matthew Goode, Rhys Ifans, Djimon Hounsou and Alison Steadman. The film focuses on the early days of the institute will also see Harris Dickinson and Ralph Fiennes play the protege/mentor pairing. The brilliant Tom Hollander also joins the cast in multiple roles as King George V, Kaiser Wilhelm and Tsar Nicholas II – all of whom are part of Queen Victoria’s family tree within the film.
Taking the period drama route, the film will see Harris Dickinson’s cocky young WW1 hero Conrad eager to continue serving his country. It will focus on the man who would go on to become Kingsman and focus on world history.
Also in news – Tom Hanks and Paul Greengrass to reunite on ‘News of the World...
Arterton and Taylor-Johnson will be joining Daniel Bruhl, Charles Dance, Matthew Goode, Rhys Ifans, Djimon Hounsou and Alison Steadman. The film focuses on the early days of the institute will also see Harris Dickinson and Ralph Fiennes play the protege/mentor pairing. The brilliant Tom Hollander also joins the cast in multiple roles as King George V, Kaiser Wilhelm and Tsar Nicholas II – all of whom are part of Queen Victoria’s family tree within the film.
Taking the period drama route, the film will see Harris Dickinson’s cocky young WW1 hero Conrad eager to continue serving his country. It will focus on the man who would go on to become Kingsman and focus on world history.
Also in news – Tom Hanks and Paul Greengrass to reunite on ‘News of the World...
- 2/8/2019
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
We’ve got some new casting details regarding director Matthew Vaughn’s Kingsman prequel film, Kingsman: The Great Game.
We previously learned that Ralph Fiennes and Harris Dickinson (The Darkest Minds) joined the film, which will reportedly take place in 1910. Then it was reported that Brad Pitt and Rachel Weisz were in talks to join the film.
Today, Collider is bringing word that Daniel Brühl (Captain America: Civil War) and Game of Thrones star Charles Dance have also joined the cast. They are also reporting that Rhys Ifans (Harry Potter, Spider-Man) is in talks to join. Matthew Goode (Watchmen) is also being eyed for a role
Not much is known about the characters that these new actors will be playing. Ifans would “play a dangerous and manipulative Russian mystic, while Brühl and Dance’s roles are being kept under wraps.”
It’s was previously revealed that the hero of the...
We previously learned that Ralph Fiennes and Harris Dickinson (The Darkest Minds) joined the film, which will reportedly take place in 1910. Then it was reported that Brad Pitt and Rachel Weisz were in talks to join the film.
Today, Collider is bringing word that Daniel Brühl (Captain America: Civil War) and Game of Thrones star Charles Dance have also joined the cast. They are also reporting that Rhys Ifans (Harry Potter, Spider-Man) is in talks to join. Matthew Goode (Watchmen) is also being eyed for a role
Not much is known about the characters that these new actors will be playing. Ifans would “play a dangerous and manipulative Russian mystic, while Brühl and Dance’s roles are being kept under wraps.”
It’s was previously revealed that the hero of the...
- 11/30/2018
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Brad Pitt and Rachel Weisz in Talks For Kingsman: The Great Game and There are New Character Details
Director Matthew Vaughan has got some ambitious plans for his Kingsman film franchise. Not only is he developing a third film that will close out the story of Harry and Eggsy, but he’s also developing a Statesmen spinoff film as well as a World War I prequel film called Kingsman: The Great Game.
We previously learned that Ralph Fiennes and Harris Dickinson (The Darkest Minds) joined Kingsman: The Great Game, which will reportedly take place in 1910. Now, thanks to That Hashtag Show, we have some new rumored details on the story, characters, and cast. Apparently Brad Pitt and Rachel Weisz are in talks to join the film!
It’s revealed that the protagonist of the story is a character named Conrad, “a cocky young son of a British Duke determined to serve his country.” His parents will be the “Duke and Duchess of Oxford and that Conrad will find...
We previously learned that Ralph Fiennes and Harris Dickinson (The Darkest Minds) joined Kingsman: The Great Game, which will reportedly take place in 1910. Now, thanks to That Hashtag Show, we have some new rumored details on the story, characters, and cast. Apparently Brad Pitt and Rachel Weisz are in talks to join the film!
It’s revealed that the protagonist of the story is a character named Conrad, “a cocky young son of a British Duke determined to serve his country.” His parents will be the “Duke and Duchess of Oxford and that Conrad will find...
- 10/26/2018
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
After orchestrating a Secret Service and inviting viewers into the Golden Circle, it seems writer-director Matthew Vaughn is getting ready now to take his boisterous Kingsman series back to the past.
For a while, we’ve heard that along with a third film in the current trilogy, Vaughn was also looking to do a prequel titled Kingsman: The Great Game and finally, it’s beginning to come together. From what we know so far, it’ll be set during World War I with the protagonist being a man named Conrad, who’s described as “a cocky young son of a British Duke determined to serve his country, who finds himself thrust into the midst of the world of espionage with some of history’s most dangerous spies and assassins.”
That role will be played by 22-year old British actor Harris Dickinson, and now, we have some updates on who’ll join him.
For a while, we’ve heard that along with a third film in the current trilogy, Vaughn was also looking to do a prequel titled Kingsman: The Great Game and finally, it’s beginning to come together. From what we know so far, it’ll be set during World War I with the protagonist being a man named Conrad, who’s described as “a cocky young son of a British Duke determined to serve his country, who finds himself thrust into the midst of the world of espionage with some of history’s most dangerous spies and assassins.”
That role will be played by 22-year old British actor Harris Dickinson, and now, we have some updates on who’ll join him.
- 10/26/2018
- by Matt Joseph
- We Got This Covered
Streaming dramas are often tricky to recap, as much for their flaws as for the fact that all the episodes drop at once. The Romanoffs, however — Matthew Weiner’s new anthology series about people who believe they’re descended from Russian royalty — is a special case in a couple of ways. First, Weiner convinced Amazon to release one episode a week (except for this premiere week, which will feature two: “The Violet Hour” and “The Royal We”). Second, while the new show’s problems are many — starting with early installments...
- 10/12/2018
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
For every beautiful piece of jewelry that Queen Elizabeth owns, she probably has an incredible story to tell about how she got it. But the most fascinating anecdote is likely the history behind her royal engagement ring. The ring was gifted to her by her husband, Prince Philip, in 1947 and it features a large, three-carat, round diamond. The stone is so beautiful that it's actually surrounded by 10 smaller diamonds and, according to Town & Country, those diamonds were originally part of a tiara owned by Prince Philip's mother and Queen Victoria's great-granddaughter, Princess Alice of Battenberg. (Photo Credit: Getty Images) Philip received the family heirloom once Princess Alice found out that he was going to propose to then Princess Elizabeth. She wanted the moment to be special, so she ended up gifting her son her crown, which he later transformed into an engagement ring. Interestingly enough, the tiara was the...
- 10/6/2018
- by Joyann Jeffrey
- Closer Weekly
After a two-year hiatus, the creator of Man Men is coming back with a series that features some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Matthew Weiner's anthology series The Romanoffs is set to tell the stories of separate people who believe they are descendants of the royal Russian family the Romanovs, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The family ruled Russia from the 17th century until they were exiled in 1917. Each of the eight stand-alone episodes will show a different family and explore the mystery of Anastasia, the supposed only surviving child of Tsar Nicholas II and his wife, Alexandra. It's not clear who's playing who, but the cast is just magnificent.
"The reason that I picked the Romanovs is that in an era where we have social media and so much theoretical connection to each other, it really seems like we're further apart than ever," Weiner said in a 2017 interview.
"The reason that I picked the Romanovs is that in an era where we have social media and so much theoretical connection to each other, it really seems like we're further apart than ever," Weiner said in a 2017 interview.
- 8/4/2018
- by Celia Fernandez
- Popsugar.com
The very first photos of Meghan Markle on her royal wedding day have arrived! Once the first snapshots of Meghan riding to Windsor Castle emerged, multiple reports stated that the bride is wearing Queen Mary's Sapphire Bandeau Tiara on her big day. (Photo Credit: Getty Images) Prior to Meghan's wedding day, it was rumored that she would not wear Kate Middleton's wedding tiara to her nuptials because the Cartier Halo tiara — which Kate borrowed from Queen Elizabeth — is currently on display at the National Gallery of Australia. Scroll down to see more royal tiaras Meghan was rumored to wear at her wedding! The Lover's Knot Tiara (Photo Credit: Getty Images) This unique combination of pearls and diamonds was originally made for Queen Mary and is a replica of a tiara that belonged to Queen Mary's grandmother. Queen Mary's version used pearls from other jewelry as drops and uprights on the cresting,...
- 5/19/2018
- by Closer Staff
- Closer Weekly
Matilda and Nicholas. Alexey Utichel: 'It was quite unusual before the film was screened because, no one saw it but we had those very grave accusations that I believe were undeserved' Photo: Courtesy of Kinostar Films Aleksey Uchitel on the set of Matilda Photo: Courtesy of Kinostar Films Aleksey Uchitel's Matilda (Mathilde) - which closes London's Russian Film Week tonight (November 26) tells the story of Tsar Nicholas II's (Lars Eidinger) romance with ballerina Matilda Kshesinskaya (Michalina Olszanska) prior to becoming emperor and his marriage to Alexandra Feodorovna (Luise Wolfram). Given its Merchant Ivory-style sumptuousness and fairy tale-inflected storytelling, it may seem an unlikely candidate for controversy, but before its release in Russia it sparked mass protests and even terror attacks because Nicholas is now considered a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church.
During the first Fipresci colloquium on Russian Cinema, Uchitel was on hand to introduce the film...
During the first Fipresci colloquium on Russian Cinema, Uchitel was on hand to introduce the film...
- 11/26/2017
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
In the latest salvo in a dispute over a Russian film about the last tsar's affair with a ballerina, the Russian Orthodox Church has put up 300 billboards in Moscow displaying what it called "words about love" exchanged between the tsar and his wife.
The posters, which do not explicitly refer to the release of Aleksey Uchitel's upcoming feature Matilda, carry images of Tsar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra and quotes affirming the loving bond the couple had. The church says they are taken from the tsar's letters and diaries and affirm family values of "faith, love and mutual respect."
...
The posters, which do not explicitly refer to the release of Aleksey Uchitel's upcoming feature Matilda, carry images of Tsar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra and quotes affirming the loving bond the couple had. The church says they are taken from the tsar's letters and diaries and affirm family values of "faith, love and mutual respect."
...
- 10/2/2017
- by Nick Holdsworth ,Vladimir Kozlov
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Feature marks second collaboration between Swen Group and Conglomerate.
Emily Carey, who plays the young Diana in global smash Wonder Woman, will star in the live-action family feature Anastasia: Once Upon A Time.
The feature is a retelling of the Anastasia Romanov story and marks the second production between Swen Group, the Latin American giant that recently established a Us distribution arm, and Conglomerate, the Florida-based production company behind Walt Before Mickey and the upcoming Little Mermaid.
Anastasia: Once Upon A Time begins in 1917 as the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II flees Lenin’s troops through a time portal, emerging in 1988 when she befriends a young American girl.
Carey will star alongside Kendall Vertes as Tana and Aliyah Moulden from TV show The Voice, who will write and perform original songs. Blake Harris directs, as he did on Little Mermaid.
Although rumours of the real Anastasia’s escape endured for years, in reality...
Emily Carey, who plays the young Diana in global smash Wonder Woman, will star in the live-action family feature Anastasia: Once Upon A Time.
The feature is a retelling of the Anastasia Romanov story and marks the second production between Swen Group, the Latin American giant that recently established a Us distribution arm, and Conglomerate, the Florida-based production company behind Walt Before Mickey and the upcoming Little Mermaid.
Anastasia: Once Upon A Time begins in 1917 as the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II flees Lenin’s troops through a time portal, emerging in 1988 when she befriends a young American girl.
Carey will star alongside Kendall Vertes as Tana and Aliyah Moulden from TV show The Voice, who will write and perform original songs. Blake Harris directs, as he did on Little Mermaid.
Although rumours of the real Anastasia’s escape endured for years, in reality...
- 6/19/2017
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
This is goat is Goat, as in the Greatest of All Time, when it comes to horn span.
Rasputin is a Walliser black-necked goat who lives in Austria and has the world’s largest horn spread for a living goat, as verified by Guinness World Records.
The 8-year-old’s horns measure 53.23 in. from tip to pointy tip. But Rasputin, who is named for Russia’s Czar Nicholas II’s nefarious adviser, doesn’t let his horns go to his head. His owner, Martin Pirker, says he is a good goat who is a great to his lady Lily and their son,...
Rasputin is a Walliser black-necked goat who lives in Austria and has the world’s largest horn spread for a living goat, as verified by Guinness World Records.
The 8-year-old’s horns measure 53.23 in. from tip to pointy tip. But Rasputin, who is named for Russia’s Czar Nicholas II’s nefarious adviser, doesn’t let his horns go to his head. His owner, Martin Pirker, says he is a good goat who is a great to his lady Lily and their son,...
- 2/10/2017
- by Kelli Bender
- PEOPLE.com
Director Dan Trachtenberg did a fantastic job on the J.J. Abrams-produced film 10 Cloverfield Lane. I loved that movie, and now the director is in talks to join a whole new film project based on the legendary magician Harry Houdini.
The film is set up at Lionsgate, and they've been trying to get it into production for years. The project is based on the William Kalush and Larry Sloman’s book The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero.
The book dives into some fun and interesting details about Houdini including that it was believed that he was a British spy, in cahoots with police organizations, and at one point was even asked to be an adviser to Czar Nicholas II's court in pre-revolutionary Russia. These are real theories about the magician, and this movie will obviously elaborate on those stories.
The studio's plan for...
The film is set up at Lionsgate, and they've been trying to get it into production for years. The project is based on the William Kalush and Larry Sloman’s book The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero.
The book dives into some fun and interesting details about Houdini including that it was believed that he was a British spy, in cahoots with police organizations, and at one point was even asked to be an adviser to Czar Nicholas II's court in pre-revolutionary Russia. These are real theories about the magician, and this movie will obviously elaborate on those stories.
The studio's plan for...
- 11/29/2016
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Robert Eggers, the filmmaker behind this weekend's acclaimed horror smash "The Witch," has been set to pen and direct a 6-8 episode event series based on the life of Grigori Rasputin.
Media Rights Capital and Parts and Labor are producing the project which will explore the mad monk's rise to power as both advisor to the Russian Imperial family and personal physician to Tsar Nicholas II's young son along with his bloody death in St. Petersburg in 1916.
The project is separate from the film take in the works with Jason Hall ("American Sniper") penning and Leonardo DiCaprio attached to potentially play him. Eggers is also working on a visceral adaptation of F.W. Murnau's 1922 silent vampire classic "Nosferatu".
Various acclaimed actors like Christopher Lee, Gerard Depardieu, Tom Baker, and most famously Alan Rickman have portrayed Rasputin over the years - Rickman scoring an Emmy, a Golden Globe and a SAG award for his performance.
Media Rights Capital and Parts and Labor are producing the project which will explore the mad monk's rise to power as both advisor to the Russian Imperial family and personal physician to Tsar Nicholas II's young son along with his bloody death in St. Petersburg in 1916.
The project is separate from the film take in the works with Jason Hall ("American Sniper") penning and Leonardo DiCaprio attached to potentially play him. Eggers is also working on a visceral adaptation of F.W. Murnau's 1922 silent vampire classic "Nosferatu".
Various acclaimed actors like Christopher Lee, Gerard Depardieu, Tom Baker, and most famously Alan Rickman have portrayed Rasputin over the years - Rickman scoring an Emmy, a Golden Globe and a SAG award for his performance.
- 2/23/2016
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Kebab Royal
Directors: Peter Brosens & Jessica Woodsworth
Writers: Peter Brosens & Jessica Woodsworth
Another Belgian directing duo we’re committed to championing is Peter Brosens and Jessica Woodsworth (who we also included prematurely on our 2015 list). Starting out as documentarians, they segued into narrative film with 2006’s Khadak, eventually spinning a loosely related trilogy with 2009’s Altiplano and 2012’s The Fifth Season (2012). While it’s possible to obtain copies of the first two, for some confounding reason, their last feature never received distribution in the Us even though it’s a fascinating, transfixing film. They filmed their latest, Kebab Royal, past March, which is now in post-production. Their films are often characterized by offbeat, surreal flourishes, and their latest concerns Nicolas II, the onerous Belgian King. Stuck on an economic mission in Istanbul, he learns of Flanders’ declaration for dependence while he’s away, and a simultaneous solar storm knocks out communication and airplanes.
Directors: Peter Brosens & Jessica Woodsworth
Writers: Peter Brosens & Jessica Woodsworth
Another Belgian directing duo we’re committed to championing is Peter Brosens and Jessica Woodsworth (who we also included prematurely on our 2015 list). Starting out as documentarians, they segued into narrative film with 2006’s Khadak, eventually spinning a loosely related trilogy with 2009’s Altiplano and 2012’s The Fifth Season (2012). While it’s possible to obtain copies of the first two, for some confounding reason, their last feature never received distribution in the Us even though it’s a fascinating, transfixing film. They filmed their latest, Kebab Royal, past March, which is now in post-production. Their films are often characterized by offbeat, surreal flourishes, and their latest concerns Nicolas II, the onerous Belgian King. Stuck on an economic mission in Istanbul, he learns of Flanders’ declaration for dependence while he’s away, and a simultaneous solar storm knocks out communication and airplanes.
- 1/13/2016
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
'Nicholas and Alexandra': Movie starred Michael Jayston and Janet Suzman 'Nicholas and Alexandra' movie review: Opulent 1971 spectacle lacks emotional core Nicholas and Alexandra is surely one of the most sumptuous film productions ever made. The elaborate sets and costumes, Richard Rodney Bennett's lush musical score, and frequent David Lean collaborator Freddie Young's richly textured cinematography provide the perfect period atmosphere for this historical epic. Missing, however, is a screenplay that offers dialogue instead of speeches, and a directorial hand that brings out emotional truth instead of soapy melodrama. Nicholas and Alexandra begins when, after several unsuccessful attempts, Tsar Nicholas II (Michael Jayston) finally becomes the father of a boy. Shortly thereafter, he and his wife, the German-born Empress Alexandra (Janet Suzman), have their happiness crushed when they discover that their infant son is a hemophiliac. In addition to his familial turmoil, the Tsar must also deal with popular...
- 5/7/2015
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Exclusive: “Russia’s Brad Pitt” to star in Alexey Uchitel’s period drama.
Danila Kozlovsky, known as Russia’s Brad Pitt, is to star in Alexey Uchitel’s historical drama-thriller Mathilde (working title) - set to be the biggest Russian production to be filmed this year.
The $30m production by Rock Films and the single purpose company Mathilda Ltd., with backing from the Russian Cinema Fund, centres on the love affair between the last Russian Tsar Nicholas II and the legendary ballerina Mathilde Kshesinskaya.
Speaking exclusively to ScreenDaily last week in St Petersburg, producer Kira Saksanganskaya explained that Kozlovsky, who was the lead in last year’s box-office hit Legend No 17 and made inroads into a Hollywood career with a part in Vampire Academy, plays a rival to Tsar Nicholas II, played by German actor Lars Eidinger (Clouds of Sils Maria)
Other Russian actors in the cast include Evgeny Mironov, Grigory Dobrygin, [link...
Danila Kozlovsky, known as Russia’s Brad Pitt, is to star in Alexey Uchitel’s historical drama-thriller Mathilde (working title) - set to be the biggest Russian production to be filmed this year.
The $30m production by Rock Films and the single purpose company Mathilda Ltd., with backing from the Russian Cinema Fund, centres on the love affair between the last Russian Tsar Nicholas II and the legendary ballerina Mathilde Kshesinskaya.
Speaking exclusively to ScreenDaily last week in St Petersburg, producer Kira Saksanganskaya explained that Kozlovsky, who was the lead in last year’s box-office hit Legend No 17 and made inroads into a Hollywood career with a part in Vampire Academy, plays a rival to Tsar Nicholas II, played by German actor Lars Eidinger (Clouds of Sils Maria)
Other Russian actors in the cast include Evgeny Mironov, Grigory Dobrygin, [link...
- 10/14/2014
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Johnny Depp is currently in negotiations to play the legendary magician Harry Houdini in Lionsgate's The Secret Life of Houdini. The movie is set to be directed by Dean Parisot, who has developed films such Red 2 and Galaxy Quest. He's a solid director, and this should make for a great film project for him.
Depp has had a rough go at the box office recently with The Lone Ranger and Transcendence. Neither of those films were very good either. Depp will soon be back on top with with Pirates of the Caribbean 5 and the sequel to Alice in Wonderland, both of which are sure to blow up at the box office. He's currently shooting the crime drama Black Mass. He's a crazy talented actor and I think it would be cool to see him take on the role of Houdini. If the negotiations go over well, I think he'll be great in the part.
Depp has had a rough go at the box office recently with The Lone Ranger and Transcendence. Neither of those films were very good either. Depp will soon be back on top with with Pirates of the Caribbean 5 and the sequel to Alice in Wonderland, both of which are sure to blow up at the box office. He's currently shooting the crime drama Black Mass. He's a crazy talented actor and I think it would be cool to see him take on the role of Houdini. If the negotiations go over well, I think he'll be great in the part.
- 5/30/2014
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Continuing her track record of portraying mentally unstable, fabulously coifed broads (see: Fatal Attraction, 101 Dalmatians), Glenn Close has signed on to play Anna Anderson, the real woman who once claimed to be the famed Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova of Russia. You know, the one who’s definitely dead and not a lady named Anna Anderson. Duchess, helmed by Close’s The Chumscrubber directer Arin Posen, follows the imposter through a “dark road trip comedy based on true events.” Anderson, a formerly institutionalized Prussian woman, changed her name to that of the doomed Russian royal and convinced the public that she was actually the daughter of Tsar Nicholas II and Alexandra, the girl thought to have been executed along with the rest of her family in 1918. Even though people eventually wised up and decided to check that she was actually a Romanov (Surprise! Just Crazy!), the media and public kept the story going because it’s hard...
- 1/10/2014
- by Samantha Wilson
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
For his most recent film The Face of Love, director Arie Posin worked with a trio of amazing actors . Ed Harris, Robin Williams and Annette Bening . all of whom are between 55 and 65 years old. His next film, Duchess, also has a middle-aged character at its center, and Glenn Close has signed on for the lead part. While ageism is obviously alive and well in Hollywood, it.s great to see youngish directors keeping such elite thespians working. A young actress wouldn.t even work here, as Close will be portraying Anna Anderson, the formerly institutionalized Prussian woman who changed her name and claimed to be the Russian Grand Duchess Anastasia, the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II and Alexandra, who was long thought to have been killed along with the rest of her family in 1918. Even though she was proven to be an imposter, public opinion and media outlets kept...
- 1/10/2014
- cinemablend.com
Famous for playing French noblewoman the Marquise de Merteuil in Dangerous Liaisons, Glenn Close will next play the Russian grand duchess Anastasia Romanov in The Duchess... except it's not quite that simple. Close will actually be playing Anna Anderson, one of several imposters who claimed to be Anastasia in the decades before the fact of her 1918 assassination was finally proved. Arie Posin (The Chumscrubber) will direct this new version of Anderson's story.If you're unfamiliar with the history, Anastasia was killed along with most of her family, including her sisters and father Tsar Nicholas II, by the Bolshevik secret police in July, 1918. But the location of her death remained unknown (only finally discovered in 2007), leading to rumours of her escape that endured for decades - immortalised, among other things, in the cartoon Anastasia in the 1990s.Anderson was institutionalised in Berlin after a suicide attempt in 1920, and began claiming she...
- 1/10/2014
- EmpireOnline
After years of wishing and wanting, an adaptation on the timeless disco number “Rasputin” by Boney M. is in the mix. Just kidding! There is a limited event series coming up being called Rasputin, but it’s based on the true events that inspired that amazing song from the ‘70s. It might come as a shock, but Rasputin, “Russia’s greatest love machine,” was an extremely real and improbable individual. He led such a fascinating life that legends have sprung up about him and he was immortalized in a disco song. Now FX will turn his story into a series that ought to leave a new generation in awe of this impossible man.
Grigori Rasputin was a Russian peasant and mystic who became the private adviser to the Romanovs, the Russian Imperial family. The man became famous when Tsar Nicholas II and Alexandra made him healer for their only son,...
Grigori Rasputin was a Russian peasant and mystic who became the private adviser to the Romanovs, the Russian Imperial family. The man became famous when Tsar Nicholas II and Alexandra made him healer for their only son,...
- 11/17/2013
- by Brody Gibson
- Boomtron
FX has begun development of an event series about Rasputin, the Russian peasant turned mystic who became an advisor to the Imperial family the Romanovs in the early 20th century.
Rasputin's influence, partly due to his ability to treat the hemophilia of Tsar Nicholas II's son, grew to the point that rivals tried several times to kill him (and succeeded in 1916).
Tales of black magic and sexual deviancy surrounded him while his involvement with the Romanovas gave ammunition to the rising Bolshevik movement which ultimately lead to the end of the Russian Empire.
The series aims to explore the controversial man and figure out the truth behind the folklore. "Prison Break" creator Paul Scheuring will pen the script based on Douglas Smith's upcoming book, while filmmaker Shekhar Kapur ("Elizabeth," "The Four Feathers") is set to direct and executive produce.
Source: Vulture...
Rasputin's influence, partly due to his ability to treat the hemophilia of Tsar Nicholas II's son, grew to the point that rivals tried several times to kill him (and succeeded in 1916).
Tales of black magic and sexual deviancy surrounded him while his involvement with the Romanovas gave ammunition to the rising Bolshevik movement which ultimately lead to the end of the Russian Empire.
The series aims to explore the controversial man and figure out the truth behind the folklore. "Prison Break" creator Paul Scheuring will pen the script based on Douglas Smith's upcoming book, while filmmaker Shekhar Kapur ("Elizabeth," "The Four Feathers") is set to direct and executive produce.
Source: Vulture...
- 11/15/2013
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Exclusive: As we mark the 400th anniversary of Russia’s Romanov dynasty this year, FX has put in development an event series about the man closely associated with Romanovs’ final years. Rasputin, from Indian film director Shekhar Kapur, tells the story of the Russian peasant and mystic who became an adviser to the Russian Imperial family. Prison Break creator Paul Scheuring will write the script based on the upcoming book Rasputin: Dark Forces And The Fall of The Romanovs by Douglas Smith. Per FX, the event series centers on “one of the most controversial characters in history who is held responsible for bringing down the Russian Empire and changing the course of the world as we know it” and answers the question, “who was he really beyond the folklore, a true healer or the greatest charlatan the world has known?” Embraced by Tsar Nicholas II and Alexandra as a healer for their only son,...
- 11/14/2013
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Galaxy Quest director Dean Parisot is currently in negotiations with Summit Entertainment to direct their Harry Houdini feature film. Summit has been trying to get this movie off the ground for years, and at different points of development directors Joe Wright and Gary Ross were both up to direct it. For one reason or another it didn't work out for either of them.
Parisot is a talented director who not only made the amazing sci-fi comedy Galaxy Quest, but also recently finished working on Red 2, which also looks awesome. This Houdini film seems like it will be a good project for him to tackle. This could be a really fun movie.
The movie is an adaptation of the book The Secret Life of Houdini, The Making of America's First Superhero written by William Kalush and Larry Sloman. The name of the movie will be The Secret Life of Houdini.
Parisot is a talented director who not only made the amazing sci-fi comedy Galaxy Quest, but also recently finished working on Red 2, which also looks awesome. This Houdini film seems like it will be a good project for him to tackle. This could be a really fun movie.
The movie is an adaptation of the book The Secret Life of Houdini, The Making of America's First Superhero written by William Kalush and Larry Sloman. The name of the movie will be The Secret Life of Houdini.
- 6/19/2013
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Warner Bros. Pictures and Appian Way have acquired Jason Hall's script pitch "Rasputin". The project is being developed for Leonardo DiCaprio to play the mad monk.
If it goes forward, DiCaprio would star as the Russian mystic who became an advisor to the Imperial family the Romanovs in the early 20th century.
Rasputin's influence, partly due to his ability to treat the hemophilia of Tsar Nicholas II's son, grew to the point that rivals tried several times to kill him (and succeeded in 1916).
Hall's new take on the man adds more dimensions than previously seen in films featuring the character. This includes how the death of his brother affected him, and the kindness of which he was capable.
Kevin McCormick, Jennifer Davisson Killoran and Peter Morgan will produce.
Source: Deadline...
If it goes forward, DiCaprio would star as the Russian mystic who became an advisor to the Imperial family the Romanovs in the early 20th century.
Rasputin's influence, partly due to his ability to treat the hemophilia of Tsar Nicholas II's son, grew to the point that rivals tried several times to kill him (and succeeded in 1916).
Hall's new take on the man adds more dimensions than previously seen in films featuring the character. This includes how the death of his brother affected him, and the kindness of which he was capable.
Kevin McCormick, Jennifer Davisson Killoran and Peter Morgan will produce.
Source: Deadline...
- 6/9/2013
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
After a modestly successful run as the title character in "The Great Gatsby," Leonardo DiCaprio is gearing up for another historical part -- this time one that's not fictional. The actor will play famed Russian mystic Grigori Rasputin in an upcoming biopic.
Deadline.com reports that Warner Bros. acquired the rights to the movie based on a pitch from Jason Dean Hall, who is also writing the upcoming thriller "Paranoia" and the 2015 Steven Spielberg/Bradley Cooper vehicle "American Sniper."
DiCaprio was attracted to "Rasputin" after Hall uncovered elements of the controversial figure's life that had not yet been depicted, according to Deadline. It's unclear whether the new movie will focus on Rasputin's entire life, during which he became a trusted confidant of Tsar Nicholas II and was brutally murdered for it.
This casting news comes about a month after DiCaprio announced he would be taking a break from his acting duties this summer,...
Deadline.com reports that Warner Bros. acquired the rights to the movie based on a pitch from Jason Dean Hall, who is also writing the upcoming thriller "Paranoia" and the 2015 Steven Spielberg/Bradley Cooper vehicle "American Sniper."
DiCaprio was attracted to "Rasputin" after Hall uncovered elements of the controversial figure's life that had not yet been depicted, according to Deadline. It's unclear whether the new movie will focus on Rasputin's entire life, during which he became a trusted confidant of Tsar Nicholas II and was brutally murdered for it.
This casting news comes about a month after DiCaprio announced he would be taking a break from his acting duties this summer,...
- 6/8/2013
- by Matthew Jacobs
- Huffington Post
Leonardo DiCaprio could play Rasputin in a future film, Deadline reports.
Warner Bros has bought the movie pitch from American Sniper writer Jason Hall. It will now be developed for DiCaprio to play the famous Russian.
The production will focus on Rasputin, who became an advisor to the Russian Imperial family the Romanovs. He was embraced by Tsar Nicholas II and Alexandra as a healer for their only son, Tsarevich Alexei, who secretly suffered from hemophilia.
However, Rasputin's influence with the family in all matters grew to the point that rivals tried several times to kill him, finally succeeding in 1916.
The film will be produced by Langley Park's Kevin McCormick, DiCaprio's Appian Way partner Jennifer Davisson Killoran and Peter Morgan. Morgan is also a producer on American Sniper, which Steven Spielberg will direct with Bradley Cooper in the role of Navy Seal elite sniper Chris Kyle.
Warner Bros has bought the movie pitch from American Sniper writer Jason Hall. It will now be developed for DiCaprio to play the famous Russian.
The production will focus on Rasputin, who became an advisor to the Russian Imperial family the Romanovs. He was embraced by Tsar Nicholas II and Alexandra as a healer for their only son, Tsarevich Alexei, who secretly suffered from hemophilia.
However, Rasputin's influence with the family in all matters grew to the point that rivals tried several times to kill him, finally succeeding in 1916.
The film will be produced by Langley Park's Kevin McCormick, DiCaprio's Appian Way partner Jennifer Davisson Killoran and Peter Morgan. Morgan is also a producer on American Sniper, which Steven Spielberg will direct with Bradley Cooper in the role of Navy Seal elite sniper Chris Kyle.
- 6/8/2013
- Digital Spy
Leonardo DiCaprio is in talks to star in "Rasputin," a historical biopic that Warner Bros is developing. The script is being written by Jason Hall, who is currently working on Steven Spielberg's "American Sniper" film. In the early years of the 20th century, Rasputin was invited by Tsar Nicholas II to serve as a medical advisor to his hemophiliac son Alexei. Rumored to have manipulated the throne behind the scenes, Rasputin has been accused of using mysticism and the dark arts. There have been numerous movies made about Rasputin and the controversial role he played in Russia, but there were new elements discovered by Hall that sparked DiCaprio's interest and gave psychological depth to Russia's "Mad Monk." To his enemies, he was a charlatan who prolifically bedded women, possibly including the Tsar's wife. DiCaprio liked the complicated elements of a child who lost the better part of himself when his brother died,...
- 6/8/2013
- WorstPreviews.com
If there’s one thing missing from Oscar season sure-fires, it’s religious mystics with highly questionable sexual behaviours. Thankfully, someone over at Warner Bros. also noticed this gap in cinema as the studio have snapped up a pitch about Rasputin, the advisor to the Russian Imperial Family. But wait, there’s more! They’ve acquired it with the intention of it being written for none other than Calvin Candie himself, Leonardo DiCaprio.
DiCaprio will star and produce the film after his interest was recently reignited in the project. Rasputin’s life was surrounded by controversy from the minute he joined The Romanovs as their personal advisor. He was brought into the fold to help the Tsar Nicholas II and Alexandra with their son, Tsarevich Alexei, who suffered from hemophilia. Throughout this time with the family his reputation as a mystic, saint, healer, and general weirdo became an issue for his rivals,...
DiCaprio will star and produce the film after his interest was recently reignited in the project. Rasputin’s life was surrounded by controversy from the minute he joined The Romanovs as their personal advisor. He was brought into the fold to help the Tsar Nicholas II and Alexandra with their son, Tsarevich Alexei, who suffered from hemophilia. Throughout this time with the family his reputation as a mystic, saint, healer, and general weirdo became an issue for his rivals,...
- 6/8/2013
- by Gem Seddon
- We Got This Covered
Leonardo DiCaprio has some good experience playing historical figures, including Howard Hughes and J. Edgar Hoover, but that doesn't make news about the actor being attached to a biopic of the Russian mystic Rasputin any less strange. Deadline says that Warner Bros. . which has an excellent and long-standing relationship with the Great Gatsby star . just picked up a pitch for a Rasputin film by screenwriter Jason Hall (American Sniper) that would cast DiCaprio as the infamous adviser to the Russian Imperial family, the Romanovs, in the early 1900s. Rasputin was a peasant who claimed to have powers of prediction. Many considered him to be a .dark. influence on Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Aleksandra. In fact, the suspicion and distrust led to Rasputin.s murder in 1916. The .mad monk,. as he was dubbed, has had multiple movies based on his powerful run through Russia, though the trade says that Hall...
- 6/7/2013
- cinemablend.com
Warner Bros. has picked up a pitch for a film about Rasputin, and they are going to develop it for Leonardo DiCaprio who will play the title character. The studio acquired the pitch from American Sniper scribe Jason Hall, who will also write the script. This screenwriter is on fire right now. On top of American Sniper, which is being directed by Steven Spielberg, he's also writing another film for the director called Thank You For Your Service, which could star Daniel Day-Lewis.
Rasputin will follow the "Russian mystic who became an advisor to the Russian Imperial family the Romanovs. Embraced by Tsar Nicholas II and Alexandra as a healer for their only son, Tsarevich Alexei, who secretly suffered from hemophilia, Rasputin’s influence with the family in all matters grew to the point that rivals tried several times to kill him, finally succeeding in 1916."
There have been several movies...
Rasputin will follow the "Russian mystic who became an advisor to the Russian Imperial family the Romanovs. Embraced by Tsar Nicholas II and Alexandra as a healer for their only son, Tsarevich Alexei, who secretly suffered from hemophilia, Rasputin’s influence with the family in all matters grew to the point that rivals tried several times to kill him, finally succeeding in 1916."
There have been several movies...
- 6/7/2013
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Exclusive: Warner Bros has acquired Rasputin, a pitch by American Sniper scribe Jason Hall that will be developed for Leonardo DiCaprio to play the Russian mystic who became an advisor to the Russian Imperial family the Romanovs. Embraced by Tsar Nicholas II and Alexandra as a healer for their only son, Tsarevich Alexei, who secretly suffered from hemophilia, Rasputin’s influence with the family in all matters grew to the point that rivals tried several times to kill him, finally succeeding in 1916. The film will be produced by Langley Park’s Kevin McCormick, by DiCaprio’s Appian Way partner Jennifer Davisson Killoran and Peter Morgan, who’s a producer on the Hall-scripted adaptation of American Sniper, which Steven Spielberg will direct with Bradley Cooper playing Navy Seal elite sniper Chris Kyle. This will become the blind script commitment I wrote that Hall had made at Warner Bros, this coming after...
- 6/7/2013
- by MIKE FLEMING JR
- Deadline
Leonardo DiCaprio is making plans to play Russia's "Mad Monk," Grigori Rasputin in Rasputin , a historical biopic set up at Warner Bros. Jason Hall, responsible for the upcoming Steven Spielberg film American Sniper , will provide the screenplay. In the early years of the 20th century, Rasputin was invited by Tsar Nicholas II to serve as a medical advisor to his hemophiliac son Alexei. Rumored to have manipulated the throne behind the scenes, Rasputin's exploits are the stuff of legend, rumored to tie into mysticism and the dark arts. DiCaprio recently starred in both Django Unchained and The Great Gatsby . He can soon be seen reteaming with Martin Scorsese for The Wolf of Wall Street . Rasputin will be produced by Jennifer Davisson Killoran, Kevin...
- 6/7/2013
- Comingsoon.net
Russian president's intervention in actor's tax row is yet another embarrassing blow for François Hollande
It was the sort of below-the-belt blow François Hollande could have done without. Still reeling from a series of political thumps at home and abroad, the French president received his first bloody nose of 2013 courtesy of a right hook from Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Thursday.
The Kremlin's announcement that Putin had signed official papers granting Russian citizenship to French national hero Gérard "Gégé" Depardieu hit home. It also turned what had seemed a somewhat comic hissy fit between the actor and his government into an international spat.
Hollande should have seen it coming. Ever since Depardieu, 64, entered the political ring to spar with his country's leadership over taxes weeks ago, this was a punch waiting to be landed.
Enraged at having his decision to leave France for fiscal exile in neighbouring Belgium described by...
It was the sort of below-the-belt blow François Hollande could have done without. Still reeling from a series of political thumps at home and abroad, the French president received his first bloody nose of 2013 courtesy of a right hook from Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Thursday.
The Kremlin's announcement that Putin had signed official papers granting Russian citizenship to French national hero Gérard "Gégé" Depardieu hit home. It also turned what had seemed a somewhat comic hissy fit between the actor and his government into an international spat.
Hollande should have seen it coming. Ever since Depardieu, 64, entered the political ring to spar with his country's leadership over taxes weeks ago, this was a punch waiting to be landed.
Enraged at having his decision to leave France for fiscal exile in neighbouring Belgium described by...
- 1/4/2013
- by Kim Willsher, Howard Amos
- The Guardian - Film News
The Queen enjoys vintage royal footage, while Derek Jacobi's Sidney Turtlebaum character is set to ride again
Royal album
Trash was thrilled to witness the Queen visiting BFI Southbank last week as the old place celebrated its 60th birthday. The Queen appeared to enjoy the film presentation in the venerable National Film Theatre and, dressed in elegant purple coat and hat, flashed a satisfied smile at me – or so I like to think – as she walked along the aisle to the exit. She had just been treated to some lovely stuff from the BFI archive, including Scenes at Balmoral (1896), the first known filmed images of a British monarch, which depicted Queen Victoria and Tsar Nicholas II in the grounds of the Scottish castle.
Her Majesty – it's "Ma'am as in jam", according to the protocol instructions I received – must have then been very moved to see home cine footage from...
Royal album
Trash was thrilled to witness the Queen visiting BFI Southbank last week as the old place celebrated its 60th birthday. The Queen appeared to enjoy the film presentation in the venerable National Film Theatre and, dressed in elegant purple coat and hat, flashed a satisfied smile at me – or so I like to think – as she walked along the aisle to the exit. She had just been treated to some lovely stuff from the BFI archive, including Scenes at Balmoral (1896), the first known filmed images of a British monarch, which depicted Queen Victoria and Tsar Nicholas II in the grounds of the Scottish castle.
Her Majesty – it's "Ma'am as in jam", according to the protocol instructions I received – must have then been very moved to see home cine footage from...
- 10/27/2012
- by Jason Solomons
- The Guardian - Film News
Atonement and Hanna director Joe Wright is in talks to helm one of several movies about Houdini that are being developed right now. The movie he's looking to direct is an adaptation of the book The Secret Life of Houdini, The Making of America's First Superhero written by William Kalush and Larry Sloman. The movie title will be shortened to The Secret Life of Houdini.
The book dives into some interesting details about Houdini saying that he was a British spy, in cahoots with police organizations, and was even asked to be an adviser to Czar Nicholas II's court in prerevolutionary Russia. The movie is set up over at Lionsgate, and they want to make an action-thriller in which Houdini will be portrayed as part Indiana Jones and part Sherlock Holmes. The latest draft of the script was written by Noah Oppenheim.
I love the history of Houdini and his magic,...
The book dives into some interesting details about Houdini saying that he was a British spy, in cahoots with police organizations, and was even asked to be an adviser to Czar Nicholas II's court in prerevolutionary Russia. The movie is set up over at Lionsgate, and they want to make an action-thriller in which Houdini will be portrayed as part Indiana Jones and part Sherlock Holmes. The latest draft of the script was written by Noah Oppenheim.
I love the history of Houdini and his magic,...
- 10/16/2012
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
"Atonement" and "Anna Karenina" filmmaker Joe Wright is reportedly in discussions with Lionsgate-Summit about directing their controversial Harry Houdini biopic "Houdini" says The Los Angeles Times.
The film is based on William Kalush and Larry Sloman's 2006 biography of the famed illusionist, a book that has become famous for insinuating that Houdini acted as a spy for Britain when he was asked to be an adviser to Czar Nicholas II's court in pre-revolutionary Russia.
The book also portrayed him as a debunker of con artist spiritualists, leading to the controversial theory that Houdini's death was caused by the spiritual movement as payback.
Noah Oppenheim penned the script adaptation which turns the book into an action thriller. "The Hunger Games" helmer Gary Ross entered discussions earlier this year to direct. He soon departed and has opted to tackle "Peter and the Starcatchers" instead.
The film is based on William Kalush and Larry Sloman's 2006 biography of the famed illusionist, a book that has become famous for insinuating that Houdini acted as a spy for Britain when he was asked to be an adviser to Czar Nicholas II's court in pre-revolutionary Russia.
The book also portrayed him as a debunker of con artist spiritualists, leading to the controversial theory that Houdini's death was caused by the spiritual movement as payback.
Noah Oppenheim penned the script adaptation which turns the book into an action thriller. "The Hunger Games" helmer Gary Ross entered discussions earlier this year to direct. He soon departed and has opted to tackle "Peter and the Starcatchers" instead.
- 10/13/2012
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Although The Hunger Games director Gary Ross was said to be in talks to direct the film earlier this year , The La Times is now reporting that Joe Wright ( Anna Karenina , Hanna ) may instead helm Lionsgate's Houdini . Based on the biography, "The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero," by William Kalush and Larry Sloman, the project also previously had Jeff Nathanson attached to direct. The comprehensive book, published in 2006 by Atria Books, became known for insinuating that Harry Houdini acted as a spy for Britain and was asked to be an adviser to Czar Nicholas II's court in pre-revolutionary Russia. The book also portrayed the master escape artist and magician as a debunker of con artists who pretended to be spiritualists, leading...
- 10/12/2012
- Comingsoon.net
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