[UPDATE: Farrell has passed on Arthur & Lancelot.]
Production was seemingly set to begin earlier this year on filmmaker David Dobkin’s Arthur & Lancelot, with rising TV actors Joel Kinnaman (The Killing) and Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) playing the titular Medieval duo.
However, that project was postponed for reasons that Warner Bros. has yet to make official – most likely, the usual suspects (script issues, budget concerns, star power, etc.) – and removed from the studio’s upcoming release slate, with Bryan Singer’s Jack the Giant Killer being pushed back to Spring 2013 to take its would-be place.
Kinnaman thereafter signed on to headline the RoboCop reboot, while Harington moved on to join the cast of The Seventh Son – so, even though Arthur & Lancelot is ready to move forward once more, the flick is now in need of two new leading men (among other things). According to Variety, one of the lead roles looks to be filled by a more established actor in the form of Colin Farrell, who has entered talks to co-headline Dobkin’s film.
Now, Farrell may not be the most bankable of names (as last year’s Fright Night remake demonstrated) but the Irish thespian has continued to solidify his reputation as a talented character actor in recent years – with admired turns in films ranging from indie fare like Crazy Heart and The Way Back to such mainstream titles as Horrible Bosses and Fright Night. Not to mention, Farrell looks to have another good year in 2012, between his parts in Martin McDonagh’s Seven Psychopaths and Len Wiseman’s Total Recall remake.
That’s all to say: Farrell’s not only a bigger name than both Kinnaman and Harington right now, but he looks to improve his standing as a Hollywood star and as a respected actor in the upcoming months. So, by the time Arthur & Lancelot is actually released, having him onboard could prove to be a wise decision on the filmmakers’ part.
UPDATE: Farrell has passed on the project, reportedly due to a scheduling conflict related to the amount of prep and training work required for his would-be part of Lancelot in the film. However, Deadline‘s sources are claiming that Warner Bros. “is eager to make the movie and [a] cast will materialize quickly.”
Ioan Gruffudd and Clive Owen in Antoine Fuqua's 'King Arthur'
Dobkins is better known as a comedy director (Fred Claus, Wedding Crashers), though he previously worked in the action-comedy genre when he helmed Shanghai Knights – not to mention, Dobkins devised the fantasy-adventure screen story for Jack the Giant Killer. Bear all that in mind when you read the following quote from Dobkins, concerning his approach to restyling the Arthurian legend with his Arthur & Lancelot screenplay (via Collider):
“… I took a much more realistic and grounded approach towards everybody, you know why would this character be this way and why would this character be that way? You know Arthur’s superpower is compassion and vision. I will tell you this, the whole thing is wrapped around the birth of democracy as a concept and it’s positing Arthur as the first man to say all men are created equal.”
Given the number of “grounded” revisionist takes we’ve seen on the Arthur legend over the years – including more recents ones like Antoine Fuqua’s 2004 King Arthur movie and Starz’ single-season Camelot TV series – Dobkins will be hard-pressed to offer a truly innovative “realistic” spin on the story. Based on his previous work, it’s kind of hard to recommend Dobkins for that job – though, of course, he could surprise us…
We will continue to keep you posted on the status of Arthur & Lancelot are the story develops.
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Source: Variety [via Collider]
Update Source: Deadline
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Bleh, come on. As mentioned they’ve already tried realistic and we really don’t need a “dark and gritty, an “edgy” version OR a bromance either.
Put the magic back into the myth where it belongs. Wizards, sorceresses, magical blades, members of the round table with unique abilities, etc. Better yet just go watch Excalibur again, phew that was tough.
Can I hear an amen? I would love to see an epic arthur trillogy in the vein of lord of the rings that expands on the stories of the various knights of the round table. You could have the more mythic elements thrown back in, (wizards, dragons, water spirits and the like) and make a far better movie than another dull, downbeat arthur. We don’t need an arthur modeled after Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood. That would be a good movie, but a true fantasy epic could be so much more!
If it ain’t DC’s ‘Camelot 3000,’ count me out of this one.
I thought I read somewhere, after Alexander, that Colin Farrell said he would never make another “sword and sandel” movie again, due to the poor American reviews. In all fairness Alexander faired better in Europe, probably because there is a certain section of America where anything but straight-up missionary sex is viewed with horror.They are shooting for early 2013 release date, and no contracts have been signed yet. I’m still waiting [since 2009] for Flann O’Brian’s two birds-at-swim! I’d say wait and see!
The Arthurian legends are some of my favorites. There are so many ways they can go with the story, there is no need to rehash the same old same old. Although I’m with mongoose on this one, lets bring back the fantasy elements, Merlyn, Lady in the Lake, and Excaliber.
All these articles re AL are spinning ‘more established star power’ re Farrell, but I am not seeing nearly (actually, none) of the excitement about him that I saw in the many comments re TV stars Kinnaman and Harrington. Yet another reason for me to wonder about this movie, in addition to director, plot and budget. But both of these guys have already moved on, Kinnaman to an even bigger role more appropriate for him, in my opinion. Doubt they will look back.
When are we going to get a true King Arthur movie? One that is half realistic/half magical.
Well here is to this getting made, it will be good (hopefully) but I want a real King Arthur movie.
I love Colin Farrell. I think he would make a great Lancelot.
He does give off an adulterer kinds vibe
Aside from re-boots Hollywood is going crazy for public domain properties that have some name value lately. There are (or were) two shows on television that deal with King Arthur, Merlin, etc. and they have tried to do a few movies on the subject over the past decade to varying degrees of success. It’s funny how they are always trying to re-invent the wheel lately with movies that have been done well in the past. Excalibur is still a great movie and unless a movie hits that mark or surpasses it then it’s just going to be another exercise in repeat and reuse. If somebody is serious about doing a piece that has the theatrical strength of the original and a minimal amount of special effects and distractions mucking things up then go for it.
Totally agree with you guys. A realistic aproach won’t bring movie goers, Ridley Scott found that out with Robin Hood. An imaginative aproach is needed but also an epic one as you guys mentioned/ LOTR style. Excalibur was awesome,and I agree no King Arthur flick after that has even come close. Hollywood is all dried up, even with a great foundation story like King Arthur they can’t envision something fresh. They should just give it to Peter Jackson and see what he does with it.