|
Stormbreaker Cast Announced 29 June 2005 So, finally, Alex will be Alex. After an intense and wide-ranging casting
search, teenager Alex Pettyfer (who starred as Tom Brown in the recent Isle of
Man Film funded TV hit "Tom
Brown's Schooldays") makes his big-screen debut as
the reluctant schoolboy special agent Alex Rider in Stormbreaker, the film of
Anthony Horowitz's best-selling novel, which is scheduled to start shooting on
the Isle of Man from July 3rd 2005.
Developed over the past three years by Isle of Man Film, Stormbreaker represents
the largest scale production ever undertaken on the Island and marks what is
hoped will be the start of an on-going franchise centred on the Alex Rider
character. Isle of Man Film Limited acquired the film rights for the series
along with production partners Samuelson Productions Limited in 2002. Isle of
Man Film's Steve Christian who is producing the film alongside Marc and Peter
Samuelson said:
"The significance of Stormbreaker for the Island's industry cannot be
over-stated. To be working alongside the likes of Harvey Weinstein at this level
validates the potential that we have always believed in. Once again we are
seeing the Isle of Man stepping up to the mark at the very highest level.
Economically, we have achieved our goal in selling our North American rights
before production commences. This is due in no small part to the fact that we
came into Stormbreaker on day one and have been able to influence the direction
of the project."
An exciting international cast has been assembled for the big-budget production.
Mickey Rourke ("Domino", "Sin City"), will star as Alex's nemesis, megalomaniac
businessman Darrius Sayle, with BAFTA-winner Bill Nighy ("Pirates of the
Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest", "Love Actually") as Alex's spymaster at MI6, Mr
Blunt, and with Oscar-nominee Sophie Okonedo ("Hotel Rwanda", "Dirty Pretty
Things") as his colleague Mrs Jones.
Sayle's monstrous PR assistant Nadia Vole will be played by Missi Pyle ("Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory", "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story"), while Alicia
Silverstone ("Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed", "Clueless") will star as Alex
Rider's friend and housekeeper Jack Starbright. Alex's fellow student and
potential girlfriend Sabina Pleasure will be played by Sarah Bolger ("Tara
Road", "In America"). Ashley Walters ("Goal!", "Bullet Boy") stars as SAS
soldier Wolf and Damian Lewis ("Chromophobia", "Band of Brothers") is
the ubiquitous Russian assassin Yassen Gregorovich.
Golden Globe nominee Ewan McGregor ("The Island", "Star Wars: Episodes II and
III") will make a special starring appearance as Alex's superspy uncle and
guardian Ian Rider and the legendary master Donnie Yen ("Shanghai Knights",
"Hero", "Iron Monkey", "Once Upon a Time in China 2") will be responsible for
martial arts sequences in the film.
Geoffrey Sax will direct Stormbreaker from a screenplay by Anthony Horowitz,
based on his own novel. Sax, whose feature, "White Noise", was an instant
success on both sides of the Atlantic this year, has had a long and varied
career, directing award-winning subjects ranging from "Tipping The Velvet",
"Othello" and "Clocking Off" to "Rowan Atkinson Presents...".
Anthony Horowitz, the prolific and successful novelist and screenwriter with
credits including the TV series "Poirot", "Midsomer Murders" and "Foyle's War",
is one of the very few children's book authors who is a household name. He has
written six Alex Rider adventures, which have sold 8 million copies and been
translated into 28 languages. Stormbreaker, the first in the best-selling
series, was named in a nationwide poll of children as the book they most wanted
to see turned into a movie.
The Weinstein Company, the interim name of Bob and Harvey Weinstein's new
company, has acquired the North American rights to Stormbreaker and
Entertainment Film Distributors have pre-bought the UK rights to the $40m-plus
production. Capitol Films are selling international rights.
DTI Minister Alex Downie commented:
"We are delighted to see Stormbreaker finally go into production with such a
top level cast and such a positive profile in the global industry. As a project
that Isle of Man Government co-owns the rights to,
Stormbreaker is very special and I know the Isle of Man, as a location, will do
it justice. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Steve Christian
and the small band of staff in the Film Office, as well as offering my thanks
and appreciation to Marc and Peter Samuelson, for all the hard work that has so
far gone into getting STORMBREAKER off on the road to the success it
deserves." More stories >>>
|
