McAvoy and Blunt Join Elton John for Gnomeo and Juliet

BuzzSugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:31:09 -0700

"Gnomeo!" It makes me giggle.

The big news in the animation world today has to do with Shakespeare, Elton John and a star-crossed garden gnome couple voiced by James McAvoy and Emily Blunt. It sounds so cute my teeth are starting to ache.

Apparently Gnomeo and Juliet has been in the works for several years, with various other talent involved (Kate Winslet, Tim Rice). Now, the CGI-animated movie will blend Elton John's well-known songs (and some new ones) with a story based on one of Shakespeare's most well-known works. The Hollywood Reporter has more details:

In the loose and edgy adaptation of Shakespeare's play, McAvoy (Atonement) and Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada) would play lovers from rival gardens. John, who is producing alongside his offscreen partner David Furnish, Baker Bloodworth and Steve Hamilton Shaw, is said to be pursuing big-name talent to voice supporting roles.

I'm not the biggest fan of Elton John, but this sounds like it could be just so adorable. I mean, the Romeo and Juliet story's been played. . .but not by garden gnomes!

Source and source

King Lear Movie Gets Keira, Gwyneth and Sir Anthony

BuzzSugar — Wed, 21 May 2008 10:38:01 -0700

Get ready for another Shakespearean film adaptation
Recent news coming out of the Cannes Film Festival (courtesy of the UK's Telegraph): there will be a new big-screen adaptation of Shakespeare's King Lear, this time starring Sir Anthony Hopkins, Keira Knightley and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Daddy's Little Girls
Sir Anthony will naturally assume the role of King Lear, while Keira will portray his daughter Cordelia. According to the article, "Gwyneth Paltrow is tipped to take the role of Regan, Lear's treacherous middle daughter. His eldest daughter, Goneril, is yet to be cast." Could this be another Oscar-earning project for Gwyneth? According to the Academy she does well with Shakespeare stuff.

Competition already?
As the Telegraph points out, there have been tons of adaptations of Lear, and this newest film will be "judged against a Channel 4 adaptation, to be screened this Christmas, based on the recent and highly acclaimed Royal Shakespeare Company production starring Sir Ian McKellen as Lear and Romola Garai as Cordelia. The play made the headlines due to McKellen's nude scene, which will be retained for the television version." So the Channel 4 version has nudity, but does it have the "epic battle sequences" that this latest adaptation promises? Nudity and battles aside, I'm curious to see this version of Shakespeare's play.

Source and source