Studiocanal to finance and distribute in their territories.
Benedict Cumberbatch, star of The Imitation Game and upcoming Marvel feature Doctor Strange, is attached to star in Second World Two drama The War Magician.
The film will be a co-production between Bob Cooper and Richard Saperstein’s Storyscape Entertainment, Tony Eldridge’s Lonetree Entertainment (The Equalizer) and Cumberbatch’s own production company SunnyMarch (Little Favour), with SunnyMarch partners Adam Ackland and Adam Selves producing.
Studiocanal will finance and distribute in their territories.
The project is based on David Fisher’s fact-based book and will be adapted by Gary Whitta (The Book of Eli).
Cumberbatch will take on the role of the title character, British hero Jasper Maskelyne, a world famous magician whose illusions helped the Allied forces fight against the Nazis during the Second World War.
Maskelyne put together a rag-tag “dirty dozen” of accomplices dubbed “The Magic Gang” – who went from making tanks, troops and buildings...
Benedict Cumberbatch, star of The Imitation Game and upcoming Marvel feature Doctor Strange, is attached to star in Second World Two drama The War Magician.
The film will be a co-production between Bob Cooper and Richard Saperstein’s Storyscape Entertainment, Tony Eldridge’s Lonetree Entertainment (The Equalizer) and Cumberbatch’s own production company SunnyMarch (Little Favour), with SunnyMarch partners Adam Ackland and Adam Selves producing.
Studiocanal will finance and distribute in their territories.
The project is based on David Fisher’s fact-based book and will be adapted by Gary Whitta (The Book of Eli).
Cumberbatch will take on the role of the title character, British hero Jasper Maskelyne, a world famous magician whose illusions helped the Allied forces fight against the Nazis during the Second World War.
Maskelyne put together a rag-tag “dirty dozen” of accomplices dubbed “The Magic Gang” – who went from making tanks, troops and buildings...
- 12/9/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
British star will play a famed illusionist, Jasper Maskelyne, who claimed to have turned the tide in North Africa with the help of his infamous ‘Magic Gang’
He has already saved the world from the Nazis once as legendary codebreaker Alan Turing in The Imitation Game. Now Benedict Cumberbatch looks set to come to the rescue all over again in a very different role: he will play the British magician Jasper Maskelyne – whose clever illusions are claimed to have helped turn the tide for the allies – in second world war epic The War Magician.
The film, which does not yet have a director attached, is based on David Fisher’s 1983 book, subtitled The Incredible True Story of Jasper Maskelyne and his Magic Gang. The Book of Eli’s Gary Whitta is adapting the original tome, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Continue reading...
He has already saved the world from the Nazis once as legendary codebreaker Alan Turing in The Imitation Game. Now Benedict Cumberbatch looks set to come to the rescue all over again in a very different role: he will play the British magician Jasper Maskelyne – whose clever illusions are claimed to have helped turn the tide for the allies – in second world war epic The War Magician.
The film, which does not yet have a director attached, is based on David Fisher’s 1983 book, subtitled The Incredible True Story of Jasper Maskelyne and his Magic Gang. The Book of Eli’s Gary Whitta is adapting the original tome, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Continue reading...
- 12/9/2015
- by Ben Child
- The Guardian - Film News
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Once he's done with Doctor Strange and his new Sherlock episodes, it looks like Benedict Cumberbatch will star in The War Magician.
He's currently in the midst of filming Marvel's Doctor Strange, and with a collection of Sherlock episodes on his plate next year, Benedict Cumberbatch remains a busy man. But he's managed to fin room for the long in gestation project, The War Magician.
It's a World War II drama, based on the novel by David Fisher. Cumberbatch is set to play Jasper Maskelyne, a magician who used his skills to help the Allieds in their fight against the Nazis during the war. The War Magicians managed to give the illusion that tanks and troops, amongst other things, disappeared.
Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner originally were attached to the project in 2003, and at various times both Peter Weir and Marc Forster have been on board the film.
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Once he's done with Doctor Strange and his new Sherlock episodes, it looks like Benedict Cumberbatch will star in The War Magician.
He's currently in the midst of filming Marvel's Doctor Strange, and with a collection of Sherlock episodes on his plate next year, Benedict Cumberbatch remains a busy man. But he's managed to fin room for the long in gestation project, The War Magician.
It's a World War II drama, based on the novel by David Fisher. Cumberbatch is set to play Jasper Maskelyne, a magician who used his skills to help the Allieds in their fight against the Nazis during the war. The War Magicians managed to give the illusion that tanks and troops, amongst other things, disappeared.
Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner originally were attached to the project in 2003, and at various times both Peter Weir and Marc Forster have been on board the film.
- 12/9/2015
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
Benedict Cumberbatch will return to World War II, according to Variety, but this time with literal tricks up his sleeves: The trade reports the Oscar-nommed Imitation Game actor will star in The War Magician, a dramatized retelling of real-life British illusionist Jasper Maskelyne's wartime efforts to dupe the Nazis. A helmer has not been revealed, but Rogue One's Gary Whitta is adapting a script from David Fisher's fact-based book of the same name. (Other logistical details are under wraps and this project has reportedly been in development since 2003, so here's hoping it maintains its momentum.) Cumberbatch will play Maskelyne as he's depicted in Fisher's work, which, according to a producer on the project, means much more extroversion and confidence than in Imitation, and involves amassing a Magic Squad and lending large-scale camouflage talents to the Allies. Need to hide the Suez Canal? Yep, magic-savvy Cumberbatch is your guy!
- 12/9/2015
- by Sean Fitz-Gerald
- Vulture
In 2014, Benedict Cumberbatch toplined The Imitation Game, a drama which had him cracking the infamous enigma code for the Allies as genius pioneer Alan Turing. Now, the British thesp is ready to help the Allied forces once more in The War Magician – albeit using a somewhat different approach.
Based on David Fisher’s fact-based novel of the same name, Cumberbatch will play Jasper Maskelyne, a world famous magician who puts his deft skills to good use to trick the Nazis during the throes of the second world war. Assembling a posse of amateur illusionists called The Magic Gang, Maskelyne was supposedly able to conceal Ally infantry from the prying eyes of German forces, thereby protecting key landmarks such as Alexandria harbor and the Suez Canal. In fact, Fisher’s novel states that the trickster proved indispensable in turning the tide of war against the Germans in North Africa, all culminating...
Based on David Fisher’s fact-based novel of the same name, Cumberbatch will play Jasper Maskelyne, a world famous magician who puts his deft skills to good use to trick the Nazis during the throes of the second world war. Assembling a posse of amateur illusionists called The Magic Gang, Maskelyne was supposedly able to conceal Ally infantry from the prying eyes of German forces, thereby protecting key landmarks such as Alexandria harbor and the Suez Canal. In fact, Fisher’s novel states that the trickster proved indispensable in turning the tide of war against the Germans in North Africa, all culminating...
- 12/8/2015
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
Knocking around Hollywood for over a decade, the WWII drama "The War Magician" has done its best not to get made. Peter Weir and Marc Forster were attached at various points, but all the pieces never fell into place. Now, the producers will try going the other way around, putting the lead actor on the project first instead. Variety reports that Benedict Cumberbatch will lead the movie. Gary Whitta ("The Book Of Eli," "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story") will pen a new draft of the script that will be based on the best-selling book by David Fisher, which details magician Jasper Maskelyne's war efforts, which included creating fake bomb holes to fool Germans into thinking they hit their targets, and elaborate stage productions that worked as cover for espionage missions. Here's the book synopsis: Jasper Maskelyne was a world famous magician and illusionist in the 1930s. When war broke out,...
- 12/8/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Benedict Cumberbatch will star in the World War II drama “The War Magician,” TheWrap has learned. Cumberbatch will star as British hero Jasper Maskelyne, a magician who helped the Allied forces fight the Nazis. Storyscape Entertainment’s Bob Cooper and Richard Saperstein are producing the film — no director is attached to the project yet. The film is being adapted from the fact-based book by David Fisher, with Gary Whitta writing the screenplay. Also Read: 'Zoolander 2' Writer Justin Theroux Says Transgender Boycott 'Hurts My Feelings' (Exclusive) During World War II, Maskelyne put a group together called “The Magic Gang” who were able to.
- 12/8/2015
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Black Mass star Benedict Cumberbatch has come attached to star in The War Magician, a fact-based World War II thriller that is being written by Book Of Eli scribe Gary Whitta from David Fisher’s fact-based book. Cumberbatch will play Jasper Maskelyne, a world famous magician who turned his skills toward creating sleight-of-hand stunts that fooled the Nazis and helped Allied fighting forces. The project is being mounted with funding from Studiocanal (which will distribute…...
- 12/8/2015
- Deadline
Benedict Cumberbatch is attached to star in The War Magician, a World War II epic tale that Studio Canal is financing. Storyscape Entertainment principals Bob Cooper and Richard Saperstein, who made the announcement on Tuesday, are producing the pic, which has Garry Whitta adapting the fact-based book by David Fisher. No director currently is on board the project. Cumberbatch will portray British hero Jasper Maskelyne, the titular spellbinder whose clever illusions helped the Allied forces fight the Nazis during World War II. According to the producers, Maskelyne put together a rag‐tag “dirty dozen” of accomplices dubbed “The Magic
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- 12/8/2015
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Benedict Cumberbatch will portray British hero Jasper Maskelyne in the World War II drama "The War Magician".
Maskelyne was a magician who helped the Allied forces fight the Nazis. He assembled a group dubbed 'The Magic Gang' who were able to create the illusion that tanks, troops and buildings disappeared.
At one point they allegedly managed to conceal the Alexandria harbor and the Suez Canal, hiding 150,000 men and 1,000 guns and tanks in the process. Gary Whitta will pen the script based on David Fisher's fact-based book.
Bob Cooper and Richard Saperstein are producing but no director is yet set.
Source: The Wrap...
Maskelyne was a magician who helped the Allied forces fight the Nazis. He assembled a group dubbed 'The Magic Gang' who were able to create the illusion that tanks, troops and buildings disappeared.
At one point they allegedly managed to conceal the Alexandria harbor and the Suez Canal, hiding 150,000 men and 1,000 guns and tanks in the process. Gary Whitta will pen the script based on David Fisher's fact-based book.
Bob Cooper and Richard Saperstein are producing but no director is yet set.
Source: The Wrap...
- 12/8/2015
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Marc Forster recently wrapped the mega-budget zombie thriller World War Z for Paramount with Brad Pitt in the lead role based on the Max Brooks novel, and as late as today was scheduled to direct an adaptation of the David Fisher book The War Magician, the story of British magician Jasper Maskelyne and how he used magic tricks to outwit the Germans during World War II. Forster proved just how quickly the production status of a movie can change when Variety confirmed late today that Forster, 42, decided to exit The War Magician. Forster’s representatives did not confirm to Variety the reasons behind the veteran director’s sudden exit but his decision was just the latest setback for the movie.
- 2/2/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Marc Forster recently wrapped the mega-budget zombie thriller World War Z for Paramount with Brad Pitt in the lead role based on the Max Brooks novel. Forster, 42, continued to be one of Hollywood’s more eclectic filmmakers, quickly joining another interesting project, an adaptation of the David Fisher book The War Magician, the story of British magician Jasper Maskelyne and how he used magic tricks to outwit the Germans during World War II. Variety reported that Forster joined the project with Tony Eldridge and Colleen Camp of Lonetree Entertainment producing. Variety also pointed out that The War Magician had been in development for some time with Tom Cruise originally set to star in a production based at Paramount.
- 2/2/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
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