WB, Singer to lift 'Excalibur'
Duo ready remake of Boorman film
By MICHAEL FLEMING
Bryan Singer will develop a remake of 1981's 'Excaliber' for Warners.
Warner Bros. has closed a deal to remake the 1981 John Boorman-directed "Excalibur," with Bryan Singer producing and developing the picture as a potential directing vehicle.
The deal comes as Singer gets serious about making the New Line-Legendary co-production "Jack the Giant Killer" his next directing effort.
WB and Legendary Pictures have labored for months to pull together the rights to the film, which Singer will produce with Julie Yorn. Also a producer is Polly Johnsen -- who was Polly Cohen when she was the WB exec who presided over the Singer-directed WB/Legendary collaboration "Superman Returns."
Inspired by Thomas Malory's 15th century work, and scripted by Rospo Pallenberg and Boorman, "Excalibur" explores the myth of King Arthur, complete with the Knights of the Round Table, Merlin the wizard and the quest for the Holy Grail to save Arthur's life. The original picture broke such talent as Helen Mirren (who played the evil Morgana), Liam Neeson (Sir Gawain), Gabriel Byrne, Patrick Stewart and Ciaran Hinds.
Singer hasn't set a writer yet.
Matt Reilly is overseeing for WB, Erik Olsen for the Yorn shingle, and Singer’s former partner Alex Garcia is overseeing for Legendary Prods.
Singer recently signed on to develop to direct and produce "Battlestar Galactica" at Universal; he'd been eyeing that project since he originally made a deal to godfather a series revival in 2001. At the same time, Singer has been flirting with directing "X-Men: First Class," a 20th Century Fox spinoff that got a first script draft by "The OC" creator Josh Schwartz.
It looks like his next directing assignment might well be "Jack the Giant Killer," a riff on the Jack and the Beanstalk legend that was developed by New Line with scripters Darren Lemke and Mark Bomback and producer Neal Moritz. The story revolves around a young farmer who leads an expedition into the land of the giants to recover a kidnapped princess.
Singer is repped by WME.
Mondo Kane
08-21-09, 12:52 PM
No Carmina Burana, no sale.
Dr Mabuse
08-21-09, 12:56 PM
This will be excellent if for no other reason than we may get a proper OAR release of Boorman's movie on DVD finally as a build up to the release.
Ravenous
08-21-09, 03:42 PM
I love the original hate all remakes.
Whats the original OAR? Would be nice to see a decked out SE of this one.
Giles
08-21-09, 03:45 PM
No Carmina Burana, no sale.
:thumbsup:
I thought Boorman was busy in another film adaptation of 'Wizard of Oz'?
Groucho
08-21-09, 03:47 PM
I love the original hate all remakes.Says the guy with 3:10 to Yuma in his DVD collection. :lol:
Daytripper
08-21-09, 04:26 PM
Says the guy with 3:10 to Yuma in his DVD collection. :lol:
Don't know about the rest of you, but I'm pretty excited about this. Loved the first, love Singer. Win win for me.
rexinnih
08-21-09, 05:26 PM
First a Highlander remake and now this. Enjoyed the original and will see this.
Hokeyboy
08-21-09, 05:28 PM
The original is a classic, and hands down not only the best King Arthur film ever made, but the only one worth a damn.
Remake? Ehhh. Watch Singer populate it with a bunch of 20 year old rejects from the CW and go for a safe PG-13. Not that I'm gonna go all chris_sc77 on this, but what made they original so fantastic was that it was an uncompromising R in its depiction of sex, violence, gore, and depravity. Anal nathrack, indeed. Even the actor who played King Arthur was 35 years old while playing a teenager. And not for nothing but Singer would have to try damn hard to make me forget Nicol Williamson and Helen Mirren. Remember how smokin Helen Mirren was? She could parade around in gossamer any time... even now. Lookin GOOD for an older broad. People forget was a phenomenal piece of ass she was (and still is). I know many of you might think that lusting after a woman in her 60s is passe but think about the accumulated knowledge, life lessons, and skilled prowess. That must be something. You know who also looked hot in that movie? Boorman's daughter, playing Igraine. That was one impressive dance scene. Thanks for the mammaries. OK I can leave now
Daytripper
08-21-09, 07:34 PM
The original is a classic, and hands down not only the best King Arthur film ever made, but the only one worth a damn.
Remake? Ehhh. Watch Singer populate it with a bunch of 20 year old rejects from the CW and go for a safe PG-13. Not that I'm gonna go all chris_sc77 on this, but what made they original so fantastic was that it was an uncompromising R in its depiction of sex, violence, gore, and depravity. Anal nathrack, indeed. Even the actor who played King Arthur was 35 years old while playing a teenager. And not for nothing but Singer would have to try damn hard to make me forget Nicol Williamson and Helen Mirren. Remember how smokin Helen Mirren was? She could parade around in gossamer any time... even now. Lookin GOOD for an older broad. People forget was a phenomenal piece of ass she was (and still is). I know many of you might think that lusting after a woman in her 60s is passe but think about the accumulated knowledge, life lessons, and skilled prowess. That must be something. You know who also looked hot in that movie? Boorman's daughter, playing Igraine. That was one impressive dance scene. Thanks for the mammaries. OK I can leave now
Great. Thanks for changing my mind ;) Seriously. Even though I'm a huge fan of Singer, maybe this is not for him. The movie needs to be dark and adult like the original. If Singer can pull that off, o.k. But I can see it being a mainstream film with him at the helm. The original was an instant classic IMO. Cannot wait to get that mother on BD. Wait, that's Warner Brothers, isn't it? Nevermind, they'll fuck up the PQ.
RocShemp
08-21-09, 07:42 PM
Singer did great work in Valkyrie and I'm one of the few people on the planet that likes Apt Pupil. However, I think he'd be better off as producer.
Like Hokeyboy said, "what made they original so fantastic was that it was an uncompromising R in its depiction of sex, violence, gore, and depravity." That's as true to the source material as you can get. If you don't think so, read Le Morte D'Arthur, the book that was the basis for Excalibur. I don't think Singer has it in him to go there.
However, will we ever see another pairing Nicol Williamson and Hellen Mirren ever again? Those two hated each other in real life and yet they made such a great on screen pairing of lovers/rivals.
Hokeyboy
08-21-09, 08:19 PM
When Helen Mirren said, "MORE.... I want MORRRRRRRE..." as she was learning magic from Nicol Williamson (while trying to trap him), I had to pause the movie and TCB. She beyond rules.
RocShemp
08-21-09, 08:26 PM
Eew! But I know exactly what you mean. ;)
Dr. DVD
08-21-09, 08:27 PM
Does Singer have a hard-on to do re-imaginings of stuff from the late 70s/early 80s?
He's done Superman, he was considering Battlestar Galactica, and now this.
Hokeyboy
08-21-09, 08:47 PM
I dont know if he has a hard-on from reimaginings. But man oh man oh Manischevitz, Helen Mirren is so HAWT she'd give Bryan Singer wood.
RocShemp
08-21-09, 08:58 PM
I wonder if they'd get her to be in the remake? That would be awesome. :up:
Daytripper
08-21-09, 10:43 PM
I wonder if they'd get her to be in the remake? That would be awesome. :up:
She MUST do this film! If only just a cameo. In fact, the film better have many many of the British elite actors. Wouldn't be the same otherwise.
Damed
08-21-09, 11:41 PM
Helen Mirren is so HAWT she'd give Bryan Singer wood.
:lol:
Thanks for that. Laughed so hard I snorted.
RocShemp
08-21-09, 11:59 PM
She MUST do this film! If only just a cameo. In fact, the film better have many many of the British elite actors. Wouldn't be the same otherwise.
Yeah. In an ideal scenario, we'd get Nigel Terry, Nicol Williamson, Helen Mirren, Liam Neeson, Patrick Stewart, and Gabriel Byrne back (even if only as bit parts and/or cameos) plus any and all of their remaining contemporaries to round out the cast. Casting for the roles those actors previously portrayed would require that the potential actors show an equal mastery of acting ability. Sure, that'd probably mean the movie'd never get made... but what if it does? :drool:
This'd be the British equivalent of The Expendables! :D
Abob Teff
08-22-09, 12:07 AM
It was posted elsewhere ... but here it is again for your viewing pleasure ... http://sprinkledinpink.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/helen_mirren_vanity_fair_1995.jpg
Daytripper
08-22-09, 12:19 AM
Yeah. In an ideal scenario, we'd get Nigel Terry, Nicol Williamson, Helen Mirren, Liam Neeson, Patrick Stewart, and Gabriel Byrne back (even if only as bit parts and/or cameos) plus any and all of their remaining contemporaries to round out the cast. Casting for the roles those actors previously portrayed would require that the potential actors show an equal mastery of acting ability. Sure, that'd probably mean the movie'd never get made... but what if it does? :drool:
This'd be the British equivalent of The Expendables! :D
I like the way you think. It's really sad Nicholas Clay died in 2000. He'd also make a terrific cameo. Other English actors I'd like to see in this are: Ian, McKellen, Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis, David Morrissey, Tom Hollander, Kristin Scott Thomas, Charles Dance, Hugh Dancy, Julie Christie, Charlotte Rampling, Clive Owen, Ray Winstone, Rachel Weisz, Emma Thompson. To name a few....
Daytripper
08-22-09, 12:20 AM
It was posted elsewhere ... but here it is again for your viewing pleasure ... http://sprinkledinpink.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/helen_mirren_vanity_fair_1995.jpg
Can we just all agree that this woman is the ultimate cougar?
I like the way you think. It's really sad Nicholas Clay died in 2000. He'd also make a terrific cameo. Other English actors I'd like to see in this are: Ian, McKellen, Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis, David Morrissey, Tom Hollander, Kristin Scott Thomas, Charles Dance, Hugh Dancy, Julie Christie, Charlotte Rampling, Clive Owen, Ray Winstone, Rachel Weisz, Emma Thompson. To name a few....
Yes, yes, YES!
I'd also love to see Jim Carter (he has such an awesome voice), Ian McShane, Timothy Spall, Alan Rickman, Ciaran Hinds, Bill Nighy, and Steve Mackintosh in it as well.
Quick! Someone kidnap Brian Singer and everyone else involved in this production to force them into offering all these actors obscene amounts of money so that they can make this happen.
It was posted elsewhere ... but here it is again for your viewing pleasure ... http://sprinkledinpink.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/helen_mirren_vanity_fair_1995.jpg
-other-
Um... Excuse me while I... I just need some time alone... Preferably with her... :hump:
Rizor
08-22-09, 12:48 AM
I love Excalibur. I think Singer's a pretty good director but I don't know if he suits the material. He seems to like to go for restraint, while the original, if anything, was bombastic and ballsy as hell.
Straker
08-22-09, 12:51 AM
And let's not forget Cherie Lunghi, who would have been most welcome to get naked and hug my sword back in those bygone days of 1981.
"Years to build and moments to destroy! And all for lust!"
RocShemp
08-22-09, 01:06 AM
"Years to build and moments to destroy! And all for lust!"
And that would be the tagline! :up:
Straker
08-22-09, 04:52 PM
However, will we ever see another pairing Nicol Williamson and Hellen Mirren ever again? Those two hated each other in real life and yet they made such a great on screen pairing of lovers/rivals.
Was there ever anyone who worked with Nicol Williamson who didn't end up hating him?
Dr. Mantle
08-22-09, 04:53 PM
Doesn't sound like that worst idea for a remake. At the very least we may finally get to see the original 3 hour cut of Boorman's film.
RocShemp
08-22-09, 05:31 PM
Doesn't sound like that worst idea for a remake. At the very least we may finally get to see the original 3 hour cut of Boorman's film.
There's a three hour long cut?! :drool: All I knew about was the PG rated cut (which I never bothered watching) that was released theatrically alongside the R rated cut.
Dr. Mantle
08-22-09, 06:45 PM
There's a three hour long cut?! :drool:
But probably Boorman, his editor and some Warner exec are the only people who have ever seen it.
Jon2
08-22-09, 08:46 PM
Can we just all agree that this woman is the ultimate cougar?
Hmmm... no.
My understanding is that she is happily married... and not to a younger man.
Helen does wear her age well. Probably much better than most women half her age, or less.
Numanoid
08-22-09, 10:24 PM
Holy shit! Excalibur is my favorite movie of all time. I don't know what to think about this. I like Singer's work. Boorman's version suffered in one area that a Singer budget and CGI could eliminate...scope. They simply didn't have the budget for big armies, and the climactic battle suffered as a result. Still, Boorman's original is holy ground for me. As others have said, at least this may get us a special edition blu-ray of that film.
And why, exactly, does one need to get the rights to this story, anyway? Isn't Le Morte D'Arthur in public domain? I can't see why you'd need to acquire rights to do another retelling. Maybe for the use of the name?
The original is a classic, and hands down not only the best King Arthur film ever made, but the only one worth a damn. 100% agreement.
RocShemp
08-22-09, 11:25 PM
My understanding is that she is happily married... and not to a younger man.
Although I hope they are truly very happy together... Damn, there goes my dream of marrying Helen Mirren. :(
John_Shil
08-23-09, 12:09 AM
And why, exactly, does one need to get the rights to this story, anyway? Isn't Le Morte D'Arthur in public domain? I can't see why you'd need to acquire rights to do another retelling. Maybe for the use of the name?
I can't imagine they'd need to get rights to the name EXCALIBUR, I mean, the word itself is public domain, as is the entire Arthur myth. Of course, the specific takes on characters / situations from the film are copyright.
There is a parallel project, after all. It's being written by Warren Ellis, produced by Hollywood Gang. In Ellis' words,
On my desk, the treatment is called Untitled Arthurian Project.
On their desk, the project is called EXCALIBUR. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excalibur_(film))
(The link to the Wikipedia page is his.)
GeorgeP
08-23-09, 04:02 AM
This remake won't be the same without the Wagner.
Hokeyboy was right: Excalibur is the only King Arthur movie that does justice to the legend. Every other treatment has been degrees of silly, cartoonish or soap opera that goes off on irrelevant tangents.
I welcome this remake only if this gives the public exposure to every possible piece of supplementary material from the original--along with a newly struck HD print and 7-channel Dolby sound.
I bought some production stills and the entire original Pallenberg screenplay from a collector back in college, and believe me, the dialogue is there to constitute a three-hour movie.
Plus Ciaran Hinds (Lot) is barely seen (even less heard from--yet generously billed) in the theatrical release, and if anybody else remembers the trailer there was a 1/2 second flash of a troll-like figure who hit the cutting room floor entirely.
The material's out there somewhere, but like with Kubrick's first edit of The Shining, it's really the director's call whether or not it ever sees the light of day on DVD. I honestly don't think Boorman's game for that.
RocShemp
08-23-09, 04:49 AM
I'm partial to what was attempted in King Arthur (which is why I enjoy that movie) but, like all other Arthurian adaptations, it doesn't hold a candle to Excalibur.
We've talked about the cast we'd want and that Singer doesn't have it in him to be as ballsy and bombastic as the source material demands. So who could do it? Would Boorman tackle a remake of his own movie? It'd be interesting but doubtful. Maybe the fellow (whose name escapes me at the moment) who directed Outlander? He can certainly make a medieval environment looked lived in and real. However he too might be too restrained. Croenenberg? Has he ever done anything medieval? I got it! Paul Verhoeven! He certainly has the balls to go all out in a remake of Excalibur!
Why not go all out for an 8 channel mix for an old mono (or was this actually stereo) movie? ;) At least Carmina Burana would sound badass. :drool:
If Boorman isn't up to editing a three hour cut to complement an HD release of the theatrical cut, I would settle to see all that cut footage as deleted scenes.
Giantrobo
08-23-09, 04:54 AM
When Helen Mirren said, "MORE.... I want MORRRRRRRE..." as she was learning magic from Nicol Williamson (while trying to trap him), I had to pause the movie and TCB. She beyond rules.
I pretty much started my nearly 30 year love of Helen Mirren thanks to seeing her in "Excalibur". I'm still blown away by her beauty....
As far as a remake, I say bring it. :up:
RocShemp
08-23-09, 05:00 AM
I pretty much started my nearly 30 year love of Helen Mirren thanks to seeing her in "Excalibur". I'm still blown away by here beauty....
Same here. She's a stunning woman.
mickey65
08-23-09, 06:19 AM
It would be sacrilege to re-make this movie...JMO
RocShemp
08-23-09, 08:32 AM
^ Why? Even if they screw it up, it most likely gets us a BD release of the original. And if they somehow pull off a great remake, we'd still probably get a BD release of the original to go with it. Either way works for me (through preferably the latter).
Kmical
08-25-09, 04:28 PM
Like Hokeyboy said, "what made they original so fantastic was that it was an uncompromising R in its depiction of sex, violence, gore, and depravity." That's as true to the source material as you can get. If you don't think so, read Le Morte D'Arthur, the book that was the basis for Excalibur. I don't think Singer has it in him to go there.
One thing I recall from reading Le Morte D'Arthur in my college days was the truly excessive number of beheadings in the story ... frequently of women:
"Sir! You insult me with your words. As a gentleman, I must respond by ... [sword slashing] beheading your wife ... and your daughter ... and your mother ... and your dog ... but only if she's female".
"Lady, while I truly appreciate your interest in me, I am happily married. In order to prove my faithfulness to my wife, I must cut off your head now ... [slash]"
This could easily jump off the tracks into Monty Python "Black Knight" territory.
RocShemp
08-25-09, 06:42 PM
One thing I recall from reading Le Morte D'Arthur in my college days was the truly excessive number of beheadings in the story ... frequently of women:
"Sir! You insult me with your words. As a gentleman, I must respond by ... [sword slashing] beheading your wife ... and your daughter ... and your mother ... and your dog ... but only if she's female".
"Lady, while I truly appreciate your interest in me, I am happily married. In order to prove my faithfulness to my wife, I must cut off your head now ... [slash]"
This could easily jump off the tracks into Monty Python "Black Knight" territory.
:lol:
Remember when Gawain just walked into Arthur's court and beheaded the Lady of the Lake? Then Guenevere forced Gawain to wear the severed head from a chain around his neck until the head rotted off? I can just imagine all the WTF expressions from the audience at seeing something like that making it into a movie adaptation of the book. rotfl
Kmical
08-26-09, 11:09 AM
:lol:
Remember when Gawain just walked into Arthur's court and beheaded the Lady of the Lake? Then Guenevere forced Gawain to wear the severed head from a chain around his neck until the head rotted off? I can just imagine all the WTF expressions from the audience at seeing something like that making it into a movie adaptation of the book. rotfl
I imagine that would be one of the least bizarre scenes if we could get David Lynch to do a filmed version of Le Morte d'Arthur ;)
RocShemp
08-26-09, 11:26 AM
I don't think I'd want Lynch to direct this. Sure, it'd be weird but it'd also be dull. (The only film of his that kept me actively interested was Lost Highway, though the abrupt ending felt cheap rather than mindboggling.) A blood soaked medieval epic should never be dull.
But, hey, if it means a director willing to be as true to the ludicrous source material as possible, I'm all for it. :up:
Besides, then we can have the historically inacurate (but totally awesome) sequence in the book where Arthur wages war on Rome and actually kills Caesar in battle. :D
Hokeyboy
08-26-09, 01:02 PM
Besides, then we can have the historically inacurate (but totally awesome) sequence in the book where Arthur wages war on Rome and actually kills Caesar in battle. :D
With James Earl Jones as the Voice of the Magic Taco!
Wait...How is a remake of "Excalibur" anything but just a new King Arthur movie? They're a dime a dozen.
What would be more interesting is someone to do a serious take on T.H. White's The Once and Future King, not that Disneyfied stuff we already got. There's an entry for it as being in production for 2012 in IMDB but that's it.
RocShemp
08-27-09, 01:06 AM
With James Earl Jones as the Voice of the Magic Taco!
Only if Antonio Banderas (or should it be Anthony Hopkins?) defends King Arthur from Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, and Gerard Depardieu. ;)
But in all seriousness, Arthur and his knights waging war against Rome and Arthur killing Caeser are a major part of Le Morte D'Arthur. It's just so absurd it just might work as a major setpiece in a remake.
Wait...How is a remake of "Excalibur" anything but just a new King Arthur movie? They're a dime a dozen.
What would be more interesting is someone to do a serious take on T.H. White's The Once and Future King, not that Disneyfied stuff we already got. There's an entry for it as being in production for 2012 in IMDB but that's it.
If the remake is to be anything like the original, the movie would be a celebration of graphic violence, graphic sex, and the lowest forms of depravity. Basically Medieval Crank. So I guess we'd need Jason Statham in this bitch too. :rock2:
Giles
08-27-09, 10:00 AM
But in all seriousness, Arthur and his knights waging war against Rome and Arthur killing Caeser are a major part of Le Morte D'Arthur. It's just so absurd it just might work as a major setpiece in a remake.
Tony Scott could make it work.
Agrajag
09-01-09, 05:46 AM
I'm slightly excited as the Boorman film is, in my view, the only one to even come close to telling this story properly. I've been bugging people (including here) for MANY years about when the Boorman was finally going to give the film the attention it deserves and get it on disc the right way. The guy isn't exactly a spring chicken. We know there's a REAL surround soundtrack (and not the faked one on the current DVD).
At least this will, as someone else said, most likely finally get us the updated and expanded DVD of the 1981 film around 30 YEARS after it came out as one of the very first movies put on DVD.
I'm a bit concerned about Singer. I don't know him well and there will be lots of pressure to do something stupid like A Knights Tale, First Knight or King Arthur (all horrible). I'll be really down if we wait a few years for this only to have it turned into a bubble-gum movie.
Buy: