Studio:
Unknown.
Production Company:
Overseas Filmgroup/Pacifica.
Project Phase: Greenlighted.
Who's In It:
Anthony Hopkins (Titus Andronicus); Laura Fraser; Angus MacFayden; Colm Feore; Jonathan Rhys-Meyers.
Who's Making It:
Julie Taymor (Director, Screenwriter); Paul G. Allen, Jody Patton, Colleen
Hunt (Producers); Brad Moseley (Executive Producer); Theo
Angell (Director of Photography); Elliot Goldenthal (Musical Score); based on the play by William
Shakespeare.
Premise: Considered the first of Shakespeare's tragedies, this high-body-count story of a Roman general's return to Rome, is referred to by director Julie Taymor as "...the Pulp Fiction of its day."
Release Date: 1999.
Comments: Widgett, "Coming Attractions"'s Broadway correspondent, sez:
"Julie Taymor is definitely a woman to watch. Having already established herself as a truly original theatrical force with such productions as The Green Bird and The Flying Dutchman, she proceeded to blow away the rest of the Broadway season with her interpretation of Disney's The Lion King, which has simply the most impressive staging I've seen since The Phantom of the Opera and Into the Woods. And on top of that, her production walked away with several Tonys, including Best Musical, Best Director and Best Costume Design. Her next project is to be this film version of the stage play which she directed off-Broadway."
Rumors: Unknown.
Scoop Feedback:
[Page draft submitted by 'Widgett'. He looks good as a Roman.]
June 21, 1998... Anthony Hopkins, Kristin Scott Thomas, and John Turturro are all rumored to be interested in this project. Production is expected to start this September in Italy. Also, various sources show the project's title as being simply "Titus." [Originally appeared in Cinematter; reported by 'Widgett'.]
July 28, 1998... We held back on the scoop until we could confirm it. Anthony Hopkins and Jessica Lange have been confirmed to be in the cast. Shooting is scheduled to commence in September...but we're not so sure about that (see next scoop.) [Anonymous This scooper's friend, Steven Geller, has been selected to play the part of an important young boy in the picture. "Admittedly, in the original play it was only a small part, but the film will be changed so that a lot of what goes on is seen through the eyes of the boy," the scooper muses. However this scooper's heard that shooting begins in October, not September as the previous scooper heard. It's scheduled to last ten weeks and the production may possibly film some scenes in Venice and Rome. [Joseph Portal.]
September 22, 1998... Apparently a newspaper in Italy known as Il Messaggero has reported that this project is filming even as we speak in Rome. Hopkins will be in Italy for three months for shooting and is staying in a hotel in the Parioli zone. [Scoop provided anonymously. And there is no parking in the Parioli zone.]
December 1, 1998... We've just been scooped that while the picture currently lens in Rome first time director Julie Taymor is experiencing some problems adjusting from the stage to screen milieu. The all UK/Irish cast includes Anthony Hopkins, Laura Fraser, Angus MacFayden, Colm Feore and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers. Some cast members have objected to Taymor assuming co-writing credit with Shakespeare. Our source also tells us that the dailies are looking very good. Taymor received a Tony for her stage production of The Lion King. We're told that Titus can be expected to be quite violent (in the scooper's words,. " 'I,Claudius' meets The Wild Bunch.") [Anonymous.]
December 15, 1998... While Sir Anthony considers giving up his acting career, shooting continues on Titus -- but all is not going according to plan said our scooper. "the film is waaaay over schedule: the production was to wrap in mid-December has now been extended until at least January 27." [Anonymous.]
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