While talking to Emile Hirsch this week about his new movie “Taking Woodstock,” Collider.com got some new details on the actor’s upcoming reunion with “Twilight” director Catherine Hardwicke. The two previously worked together on “Lords of Dogtown,” and now they’re closely collaborating on a modernized version of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.”
Hirsch, who helped conceive of the idea of this college-set take on the tragic play, mentioned a film he’s looking to for inspiration. “It’s almost like mixing ‘Hamlet’ with ‘The Shining’ a little bit,” he told Collider.com, “and making this kind of scary-cool vision of the play.” Read more...
By now you've surely read the news that "Twilight" director Catherine Hardwicke will be taking on a contemporized version of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet," and the Emile Hirsch has been tapped for the starring role. Hardwicke credits Hirsch for the story idea, which brings Hamlet's story "to a small East Coast liberal arts college where Hamlet's father is the president." The story will open with Hirsch's character returning home to attend dear old dad's funeral.
That's really all we know so far. Hardwicke will direct, once she's finished writing the script with Ron Nyswaner. Hirsch will star, though the contemporized setting could mean a shift away from the name 'Hamlet.' The character is universally known however, as is the rest of "Hamlet"'s colorful cast. And seeing as how Hardwicke is tapped in to all of these hot, young stars after her work on "Twilight," we can't help but wonder who among them she might tap for the other major roles. Read more...
Catherine Hardwicke and her "Lords of Dogtown" star Emile Hirsch are reuniting for a trip to the rotten state of Denmark. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Hirsch is set to play Hamlet in Hardwicke's big screen adaptation of the Shakespeare play.
Of course, they won't really be going to Denmark. Hirsch helped develop a modern retelling that will deal with the same themes -- a young man who must decide whether or not to avenge his father's murder by killing his uncle -- but will take place in contemporary America. Don't expect a lot of "To be or not to be" soliloquies, as this "Hamlet" will sport a new script penned by Ron Nyswaner ("Philadelphia"). Joining Hirsch and Hardwicke are "Milk" producers Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen, who say their goal is "to present the story as a suspense thriller. We want to make it exciting and accessible for an audience today." Read more...
Reporting by Josh Horowitz
Long before Sarah Palin was talking crazy or banks were going out of business faster than “We Sell it on eBay” stores, a truly bizarre political scandal erupted in 1970’s San Francisco, changing politics forever. We’ve already written extensively about the December release “Milk," and when we recently caught up with super-producer/Focus Features Co-President James Schamus, he promised that our enthusiasm over the Sean Penn biopic was justified.
“He’s just channeling him; it’s crazy. He is Harvey Milk,” Schamus said of the Oscar-winner’s performance as America’s first openly-gay politician. “Go online and look at Harvey Milk and look at the trailer, and it’s like we hired Harvey Milk.”
Co-starring Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch and James Franco (who reportedly shares a kissing scene with Penn), the film tells the true tale of a larger-than-life man who ran for office seeking tolerance and equality, then became a martyr for the gay movement after being shot down by a Twinkie-loving madman. Read more...
