Academy Award nominations have eluded Joe Wright so far, but not for lack of trying. The young British director already has the critically acclaimed "Pride and Prejudice" and "Atonement" under his belt, and "The Soloist" as a possible contender for next year's award season. But just in case Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx don't attract Oscar, Wright has another English historical drama up his sleeve. According to Variety, he's set to direct "Indian Summer," a drama about the last days of British colonial rule in India.
Based on Alex von Tunzelmann's book, it's centered on Lord Mountbatten who travels to India accompanied by his beautiful young wife, Edwina. The glamorous couple was sent to hand control of India over to its people on the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947. Read more...
Keira Knightley seems determined to throw off her corsets and historical typecasting. Earlier this year, she signed on to a contemporary thriller with Colin Farrell, and now she's taking a step into that final frontier. According to Variety, Knightley will star in Fox Searchlight's "Never Let Me Go" with Andrew Garfield and Carey Mulligan. Mark Romanek ("One Hour Photo") will direct from a script penned by Alex Garland ("28 Days Later").
The story revolves around three adults who grew up cloistered in a boarding school, with no contact or knowledge with the outside world. Their sheltered existence is shattered when they discover that they are clones grown for the sole purpose of organ donation. Read more...
Colin Farrell didn't score an Oscar nomination this year for "In Bruges" -- but he did score a movie deal with an Oscar nominee. Variety reports that Farrell and Keira Knightley will be starring in the independent crime drama "London Boulevard." The film marks the directorial debut of screenwriter William Monahan ("The Departed"), who is really the go-to guy when it comes to crime thrillers.
Based on Ken Bruen's well-reviewed thriller, "London" will see Farrell playing the sort of part he's best at -- a South London criminal, fresh out of prison, who is trying to live the straight life. He gets a job as a handyman for a reclusive young actress. Naturally, he can't quite escape his violent past, and of course it will threaten his new life and love affair -- and he'll respond to the thugs and criminals of his circle with a terrible form of revenge. Read more...
Keira Knightley loves her historical dramas. She already played Princess Diana's ancestor, the Duchess of Devonshire, in last year's "The Duchess." Now she'll play the famous Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald, the wife and muse of author F. Scott Fitzgerald. John Curran ("We Don't Live Here Anymore") is now set to direct, replacing Nick Cassavetes, who was originally set to helm the film.
The movie will focus on the tempestous marriage of the Fitzgeralds. They were the rich and beautiful celebrity couple of the 1920s, and Zelda was the inspiration for many an American flapper. She was also the inspiration for many of her husband's heroines. But despite their wealth and glamour, their marriage was often unhappy. Fitzgerald often lifted material from her diaries for his stories, which Zelda, an aspiring author herself, resented. Read more...
Could Keira Knightley's love interest in "The Duchess," Dominic Cooper, be a steampunker?
When we caught up with the actor at the opening night of "Equus", he didn't want to talk Harry Potter, as did a lot of the celebs who came to see Daniel Radcliffe on Broadway. Nope -- for Cooper, the fantasy series he's most into is "His Dark Materials," the Philip Pullman trilogy from which the movie "The Golden Compass" and inspiration from steampunk came. Cooper had played the part of Will during the Royal National Theatre adaptation, and he hopes to land a part in one of the proposed sequels.
"I tried to get Keira," who's read all the Harry Potter books, "into the Philip Pullman ones, but she wasn't having any of it," Cooper said. "No luck. I think you're either a fan of one or the other, is how it works. But why can't you be both in life?" Read more...
Johnny Depp may be up for another turn as Jack Sparrow in a fourth Pirate flick but don't expect all of his co-stars to be on hand for the next adventure, at least if what Keira Knightley told us is to be believed.
MTV News caught up with the sometime Elizabeth Swann recently and she sounded like a woman who's putting that franchise in the past. "They were completely amazing, but I think I can't wear corsets for a while," she said. "I had an amazing journey with those three films. But I think it's [time to do] different things." Watch for yourself below and check out our full Keira Knightley interview here.
- Warner Brothers loses Indian “Hari Puttar” copyright case. (BBC News)
- The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg scope Keira Knightley in “The Beautiful and the Damned,” a love story about F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda Sayre. (THR)
- Re-imaginings of classic properties continue as "Wanted" helmer Timur Bekmambetov tackles "Moby Dick." (Variety)
- Slackers of the world unite...Michael Moore’s “Slacker Uprising” available today for free download. (Slacker Uprising)
- Simon Pegg and Nick Frost reportedly offered roles of Thompson Twins in Spielberg’s “Tintin.” And because everything else on this list has a literary reference, ummm, something, something Holden Caulfield. (Times Online)
Tags hari puttar, keira knightley, michael moore, moby dick, nick frost, simon pegg, slacker uprising, spielberg, the beautiful and the damned, thompson twins, timur bekmanbetov, tintin, wanted
With roles in "Pride & Prejudice," "King Arthur" and, of course, "Pirates of the Caribbean," Keira Knightley is no certainly stranger to dolling herself up in the fashion of the day. Case in point, her role as a love-struck royal in "The Duchess." We already rolled out an exclusive clip from the film, now we talk to the star herself about her fancy duds. Check it out below, and then click here for more of our chat.
- What’s next? A “Country Bears” musical? Oh, wait…Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson joins new Disney space movie based on Tomorrowland. (Variety)
- Keira Knightley, Eva Mendes, and Sam Worthington set to star in “Last Night,” about a couple testing the bonds of their love. (Variety)
- Diablo Cody proves the high road is for losers. Oscar winning screenwriter responds to “Juno” hate on her Myspace blog, ensuring the hate will only continue. (MySpace)
- Just for fun: Will Ferrell answers internet questions in hilarious new video. (Funny or Die - NSFW language)
- Charlie Kaufman mind-fark “Synecdoche, New York” gets trailerized. (Yahoo)
Tags charlie kaufman, country bears, diablo cody, dwayne johnson, eva mendes, keira knightley, last night, sam worthington, synecdoche new york, the rock, will ferrell
Keira Knightley has a way with costumes. She rocked the seven seas in "Pirates of the Caribbean," picked up a bow for "King Arthur" and now she's going full-on Victorian for "The Duchess," which sees the star strapping on a corset for a scandalous royal love triangle as the Duchess of Devonshire. Below, check out an exclusive clip from the film which finds her fallen for a young politician. "The Duchess" -- co-starring Ralph Fiennes -- rolls out in limited release September 19.
