Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, Joe Wright, and Dario Marianelli together again as principal photography begins for 'Anna Karenina' this month!

Pride & Prejudice and Atonement cast (Keira Knightley star of both P&P and Atonement and , P&P only)) and crew (director , producers Paul Webster, Tim Bevan, and Eric Fellner, Academy Award winning composer (P&P, Atonement, The Soloist, Jane Eyre) twice Academy Award Nominee costume designer Jacqueline Durran (P&P/Atonement/The Soloist),  three-time Academy Award Nominee production designer Sarah Greenwood (P&P/Atonement/The Soloist/Hanna), and three-time Academy Award nominee set decorator Katie Spencer (P&P/Atonement/Hanna)...add a few The Soloist and Hanna crew as well) are all together again and will be reuniting and re-teaming for the new film, Anna Karenina starring Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, Jude Law, and Aaron Johnson as principal photography starts this month in the UK and Russia. Working Title Films will produced the film, while Focus Features will distribute domestically its theatrical release and Universal Pictures will distribute internationally.

Actresses Emily Watson (Angela's Ashes and Hillary and Jackie) and Ruth Wilson (Luther and Small Island) were just announced to have joined the already confirmed Anna Karenina cast here.

Here are a few of the many news articles today about Anna Karenina (or read an official press release via Focus Features)...

Principal Photography Starting on Joe Wright's Anna Karenina (via  ComingSoon.net)

Focus Features announced today that Joe Wright's Anna Karenina, starring Keira Knightley, Jude Law and Aaron Johnson, will start shooting in the U.K. and Russia this month:

Joe Wright will direct the epic romance Anna Karenina, adapted from Leo Tolstoy’s classic novel by Academy Award winner Tom Stoppard (Shakespeare in Love). The Working Title Films production will commence filming in the U.K. and Russia this month. Focus Features will distribute the movie domestically, and Universal Pictures International (UPI) will distribute the movie internationally, in the second half of 2012.

Keira Knightley, Academy Award-nominated for Pride & Prejudice, will star as Anna Karenina in her third collaboration with Mr. Wright. Ms. Knightley will be starring opposite two-time Academy Award nominee Jude Law, as Anna’s husband Aleksei Karenin; and Aaron Johnson (Nowhere Boy), as Count Vronsky. Rounding out the cast will be Kelly Macdonald (Boardwalk Empire), Matthew Macfadyen (Pride & Prejudice), Domhnall Gleeson (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows), Alicia Vikander (The Seventh Son), two-time Academy Award nominee Emily Watson, Olivia Williams (Hanna), and Ruth Wilson (Luther).

Also reteaming with Mr. Wright on Anna Karenina are Academy Award-winning composer Dario Marianelli, twice-Academy Award-nominated costume designer Jacqueline Durran, and three-time Academy Award-nominated production designer Sarah Greenwood. The cinematographer will be Academy Award winner Philippe Rousselot. Melanie Ann Oliver (Focus’ Jane Eyre) will edit the feature. Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui will be the choreographer on the movie.

The story unfolds in its original late-19th-century Russia high-society setting and powerfully explores the capacity for love that surges through the human heart, from the passion between adulterers to the bond between a mother and her children. As Anna (Ms. Knightley) questions her happiness, change comes to her family, friends, and community.

Read more: Principal Photography Starting on Joe Wright's Anna Karenina - ComingSoon.net

Joe Wright To Direct ‘Anna Karenina’ For Focus With Keira Knightley As Lead (via Deadline) 

It’s official: Atonement director Joe Wright and star Keira Knightley are reteaming for Anna Karenina, the Working Title films adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s novel that was written by Tom Stoppard. The film will be distributed by Focus Features in the U.S. and Universal Pictures International worldwide sometime in the second half of 2012. Working Title co-chairs Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner are producing with Paul Webster; the trio were 2008 Oscar nominees as producers of Atonement.

Knightley will star as Anna, Jude Law will play her husband Aleksei Karenin, and Aaron Johnson (Nowhere Boy) will play Count Vronsky. Kelly Macdonald, Matthew Macfadyen, Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander, Emily Watson, Olivia Williams and Ruth Wilson also have been cast in the story of a woman making her way in early-19th-century Russian high society. It’s familiar territory for Wright, who directed the period adaptations Pride & Prejudice and Atonement, also for Working Title and Focus; he also directed The Soloist for Working Title and UPI and most recently Hanna for Focus.

Focus Features to Distribute Director Joe Wright's 'Anna Karenina' (via Hollywood Reporter)

Focus Features will distribute the Joe Wright-directed adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's classic Anna Karenina in the United States in the second half of 2012. Universal Pictures International will distribute the movie internationally.

Keira Knightley, Jude Law, Aaron Johnson, Kelly Macdonald, Matthew Macfadyen and Emily Watson star in the adaptation written by Tom Stoppard (Shakespeare in Love). Filming begins in the U.K. and Russia this month.

Working Title co-chairs Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner are producing with Paul Webster.

“Joe Wright is a master filmmaker, and with Tom Stoppard’s brilliant screenplay this Anna Karenina will be full of both pageantry and emotion," said Focus Features CEO James Schamus. "To realize Joe’s vision, we have the perfect producing partners in Working Title and Paul Webster, whose acumen is unsurpassed. With Keira Knightley playing this iconic role and a splendid cast supporting her, today’s moviegoers will be drawn to this powerful story.”

Wright previously made Pride & Prejudice and Atonement with Focus and Working Title.

More about → Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, Joe Wright, and Dario Marianelli together again as principal photography begins for 'Anna Karenina' this month!

P&P NewsBits: Keira Knightley to attend TIFF 2011, 'Neverland' gets Syfy premiere date, 'The Pillars of the Earth' coming to Reelz Channel, and more!

Here's this week's quick news round up of various film news (including casting calls, a film synopsis, trailers, release dates, festival news, etc.) of the following P&P actors (Keira Knightley, , Donald Sutherland, , Colin Firth, and P&P director Joe Wright), all in one post!

Again, let's start with...

Keira Keira Knightley To Promote “A Dangerous Method” at TIFF 2011
Keira Knightley and Viggo Mortensen have been confirmed to attend the 36th Toronto International Film Festial (TIFF) which runs through September 8th – 18th. They will both be promoting “A Dangerous Method”. [via Hollywood Reporter]

Also, Apple's iTunes Movie Trailers has the exclusive new U.S. official trailer for A Dangerous Method, which you can watch either on iTune's website or below...

More KK (and others) film news after the cut...

Watch the Video: A Dangerous Method Trailer 2011 HD    

(source: TheMovieReelTrailers)

Speaking of A Dangerous Method, here's an early Venice ‘11 Review: Cronenberg’s ‘A Dangerous Method’ An Insightful Look At Sexuality & The Mind (via The Playlist)
 

Syfy Announces “Neverland” Premiere Date
The four-hour movie Neverland, starring Keira Knightley as the voice of Tinker Bell, will premiere on Sunday and Monday, Dec. 4 and 5 at 9/8c each night. [via TV Guide]


Keira Lends Support to Truth Aid at The Box
Keira Knightley and Coldplay’s Guy Berryman will host a glittering star-studded dinner at The Box London in aid of human-rights charity Truth Aid – a worthy cause that creates awareness on gender-based violence in Ethiopia. [source: Harper's Bazaar]

Olivia Williams: Keira will be a great Anna
Olivia Williams has described her Anna Karenina co-star Keira Knightley as a "phenomenal actress". The pair will appear together in the upcoming adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's classic novel which is directed by British filmmaker Joe Wright and which will star Aaron Johnson and Jude Law. Olivia said Keira would have no problem taking on the challenging title role.

She added: "In some films you're on your own but in a Joe Wright film you're not on your own, it's a genuinely collaborative event and I think that she's a phenomenal actress with or without this incredible ensemble behind her." [via The Press Association]

The Pillars of the Earth Miniseries Coming to ReelzChannel
The Emmy-nominated The Pillars of the Earth will air on ReelzChannel starting Sunday, December 4. Based on Ken Follet's best selling novel, the nine-part miniseries is a sweeping epic set in 12th-century England that features stellar performances from Ian McShane, Rufus Sewell, and Donald Sutherland.
Follet's sensuous story — set against a backdrop of war, religious strife, and power struggles — was an Oprah Book Club selection and has sold nearly 19 million copies worldwide. Three-time DGA award-winner Sergio Mimica-Gezzan directed the miniseries. Matthew Macfadyen, Hayley Atwell, Sam Clafin, and Eddie Redmayne also star.

Pillars is getting the old-school miniseries treatment, with episodes airing on consecutive days. ReelzChannel is Dish 299, DirecTV 238, and available on your cable system.

Episodes 1 and 2 on Sunday, December 4
Episode 1 at 8PM ET and at 8PM PT
Episode 2 at 9PM ET and at 9PM PT
Encore episodes 1 and 2 on Monday, December 5
Episode 1 at 8PM ET and at 8PM PT
Episode 2 at 9PM ET and at 9PM PT
Episode 3 on Tuesday, December 6
8PM ET and at 8PM PT
9PM ET and at 9PM PT
Episode 4 on Wednesday, December 7
8PM ET and at 8PM PT
9PM ET and at 9PM PT
Episode 5 on Thursday, December 8
8PM ET and at 8PM PT
9PM ET and at 9PM PT
Episode 6 on Friday, December 9
8PM ET and at 8PM PT
9PM ET and at 9PM PT
Episode 7 on Saturday, December 10
8PM ET and at 8PM PT
9PM ET and at 9PM PT
Episodes 8 and 9 on Sunday, December 11
Episode 8 at 8PM ET and at 8PM PT
Episode 9 at 9PM ET and at 9PM PT
Encore episodes 8 and 9 on Monday, December 12
Episode 8 at 8PM ET and at 8PM PT
Episode 9 at 9PM ET and at 9PM PT

[source: Reelz Channel]

Speaking of Donald Sutherland, the teaser trailer for his upcoming film, The Hunger Games was shown at the recent MTV Music Awards. You can watch the Video: Hunger Games Official Teaser Trailer. Donald Sutherland's not featured on the teaser though....

Speaking of Matthew Macfadyen...

Watch the following:

• Video: The Three Musketeers 2011 New TV Commercial 
• First TV Spot For 'The Three Musketeers 
• New TV Spot for The Three Musketeers

Dame Judi Dench makes a `significant` donation towards famine relief efforts in Africa

Actress Dame Judi Dench has made a 'significant' donation towards the famine relief efforts in Africa.

The actress is supporting ShelterBox's campaign to send aid to the people suffering from the famine in countries such as Somalia and Ethiopia. [via Critics and Monsters]

Also...Judi Dench Backing Cancer Awareness Campaign‎


Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy Quad Poster
A brand new international quad poster has been released for Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, which will be released in U.K. theaters on September 16, and in North American theaters on November 18. Take a look at this British poster below which features Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy, and Colin Firth. [via MovieWeb]

TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY Kicked Back to December 9th
Over the weekend, Deadline‘s Pete Hammond reported that Focus Features wants to give Tomas Alfredson’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy a serious awards season push.  That’s not the tragic part.  The tragic part is that they’re moving the film back from November 18th to December 9th in order to do so.  [via Collider]

Oldman to cast Firth in new film?
Gary Oldman has revealed plans to return behind the camera, directing Colin Firth in a new project. [via Press Association]

'Bridget Jones's Diary' Will Have Third Chapter‎
Entertainment Weekly has confirmed that the long-gestating third "Bridget Jones's Diary" movie is finally a go. No further details regarding the Working Title Films production—including whether stars Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth or Hugh Grant will return—were available. [via MTV's Hollywood Crush]

Venice film festival: British stars descend on city
The biggest contingent of British stars for years, including Colin Firth, Kate Winslet, Keira Knightley and Jude Law will spearhead the British presence as the world's oldest film festival gets under way. [via UK's The Telegraph]
 
And last, but not least, check out these interesting articles about Joe Wright...
Portrait of the artist: Joe Wright, film director [via UK's The Guardian] and  My Secret Life: Joe Wright, film director, 39 [via The Independent]

More about → P&P NewsBits: Keira Knightley to attend TIFF 2011, 'Neverland' gets Syfy premiere date, 'The Pillars of the Earth' coming to Reelz Channel, and more!

Casting Update: Joe Wright's ‘Anna Karenina’ Cast is now Confirmed!

Working Title Films (Pride & Prejudice, Atonement) has recently posted in their website confirming the principal cast for director Joe Wright's upcoming film (currently in pre-production), Anna Karenina starring Keira Knightley, who is reuniting with her former P&P co-star Matthew Macfadyen, which interestingly, they will be playing brother and sister in this film adaptation. Knightley and Macfadyen previously worked together (as Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy) with Wright, who directed them in his very first feature film, Pride & Prejudice, which was released back in 2005 to critical acclaimed (and a worldwide Box office gross of $121+ million) earning Knightley and the P&P film 4 Oscar Nominations (including Best Actress for Miss Knightley), 2 Golden Globe (including Best Actress for KK as well), and 6 BAFTA nominations (including a Carl Foreman Award for the Most Promising Newcomer award for JW).

The now confirmed Anna Karenina cast include Keira and Matthew, of course, along with the rest of previously reported cast such as Jude Law, Aaron Johnson, and Kelly Macdonald to name a few, except for Saoirse Ronan, who was previously rumored (and listed on IMDB too) to be playing Kitty, is excluded in the confirmed cast. Another actress, Alicia Vikander (‘The Seventh Son’), a newcomer is the one confirmed to be playing Kitty instead.

Check out the confirmed cast (with pictures and their characters) of Anna Karenina below...

The cast of Joe Wright’s Anna Karenina is confirmed

Keira Knightley is confirmed to play the title role, her third collaboration with Joe Wright having starred in ‘Pride & Prejudice’ and ‘Atonement’. She is joined by Jude Law (‘Sherlock Holmes’, ‘Hugo Cabret’) playing her husband Aleksei Karenin and Aaron Johnson (‘Kick Ass’, ‘Nowhere Boy’) as Count Vronsky. They are supported by Alicia Vikander playing Kitty, Kelly Macdonald (‘No Country For Old Men’, ‘Boardwalk Empire’) playing Dolly, Domhnall Gleeson (Bill Weasley in ‘Harry Potter’) playing Levin, Andrea Riseborough (‘Made In Dagenham’) playing Princess Betsy, Matthew MacFadyen (‘Pride & Prejudice’) playing Oblonsky and Olivia Williams (‘Hanna’) playing his mother Countess Vronsky.

Anna Karenina (2012) Cast

~*~ Confirmed Cast ~*~

Keira Knightley ~ Anna Karenina
Jude Law ~ Aleksei Karenin (Anna's husband)
Aaron Johnson ~ Count Vronsky (Anna's lover)
Matthew Macfadyen ~ Oblonsky (Anna's brother)
Kelly Macdonald ~ Dolly (Oblonky's wife)
Alicia Vikander ~ Kitty (Dolly's younger sister)
Domhnall Gleeson ~ Levin
 Andrea Riseborough ~ Princess Betsey
Olivia Williams ~ Countess Vronskaya (Vronsky's mother)

Speaking of AK, someone tweeted this Anna Karenina Script cover page! Also, Keira was asked about her upcoming Anna movie and role in her new Marie Claire Interview (via Sweet-Keira). Here's the AK mention part...

You’re doing another period movie, Anna Karenina, with director Joe Wright. What attracts you to period characters?

It’s not the fact that they are period; it’s the great stories. And Tolstoy – you can’t say no to that if someone offers it to you.     

Anna Karenina will start filming next month (possibly early to mid September) and is slated for a 2012 release.

More about → Casting Update: Joe Wright's ‘Anna Karenina’ Cast is now Confirmed!

Movie News: Is Matthew Macfadyen joining Keira Knightley on Joe Wright's 'Anna Karenina' film?

UPDATE 6/3/11: It's official Matthew Macfadyen confirmed for Anna Karenina!!! According to Matthew Macfadyen News (over at Topix. Thanks ladies!!!) Matthew's agency Hamilton Hodell has just confirmed Matthew will indeed be playing Oblonsky in Anna Karenina.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Is our favorite Mr. Darcy, Matthew Macfadyen reuniting and re-teaming with his Pride & Prejudice co-star Keira Knightley and director Joe Wright in their upcoming film, Anna Karenina? If so, I think this will be the BEST casting news EVERRRRR!!! (well, at least here on this blog, lol)...Thanks to my friend and fellow P&P/MM fan, Sylvie Valente for the heads up on this wonderful casting news. Hopefully, this is true. It's not officially confirmed yet, but will find out soon enough.

For now, this will do as UK's Daily Mail reports in their newest article has more Anna Karenina casting info and said that Matthew is part of the cast and is playing the character: Oblonsky and get this he and Keira will be playing not lovers, but siblings! Wowza, this will be interesting to see and I don't know if I'll get used to seeing them play as siblings after playing our favorite P&P couple: Elizabeth & Darcy. I will always picture them as Lizzie & Darcy, lol...


Here's the article from the Daily Mail:

Oh boy! Jude and Keira are looking for an (on-screen) son

Keira Knightley and Jude Law are seeking a son, while Matthew Macfadyen and Kelly Macdonald would like an instant brood of five.

These are the screen relationships that will make up one big happy (or rather not-so happy) family in the film version of Anna Karenina that will shoot in Britain and Russia from September.


I told you back in November that Keira would play Tolstoy’s great literary heroine in a new movie version written by Tom Stoppard. The film reunites Keira with Joe Wright, who directed her in Atonement and Pride & Prejudice. That’s where Matthew comes in.

He and Keira played the will-they-won’t-they lovers Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy in the Jane Austen classic. However, in Anna Karenina, Keira and Matthew play siblings.

Matthew has the part of Oblonsky, while Kelly — star of HBO’s compelling Boardwalk Empire — plays his wife Dolly.

The film’s casting executives are looking for brothers and sisters (cousins could be in the mix, too) to play the Oblonskys’ five children, who range in age from two to eight. The groupings must include a girl of around eight to play Tanya, the Oblonskys’ eldest daughter.

‘We want to capture that messy charm that comes with big families,’ Dixie Chassay, one of the executives, explained.

‘Dolly’s always pregnant. It’s always about family, and we want to capture that with brothers and sisters and cousins who play and are noisy and who laugh together.

‘Then there’s the son Keira has with Jude,’ Dixie continued, meaning their fictional child Seryozha.

The boy should be aged between seven and ten. ‘We are in the world of Tolstoy, so we need someone poetic,’ Dixie noted.

Ideally, for all of the kids’ roles, the casting people want to meet European (particularly French and Russian) siblings or cousins, although all must be able to speak English. They’d also look at children from large English families (the traditional kind you might see in the Bystander section of Tatler).
Aaron Johnson will play Anna’s lover Vronsky.

Jude joked to me recently that once upon a time he would have played such a part, but is ‘too old’ to be the dashing lothario. ‘I’m the cuckolded husband now,’ he told me.

Olivia Williams, who was so good in Wright’s thriller Hanna, will play Countess Vronskaya, Vronsky’s mother. Saoirse Ronan, who appeared with Keira in Atonement and had the lead in Hanna, will play Kitty, Dolly’s sister.

The fast-rising Andrea Riseborough has been cast as Princess Betsy, who always knew how to have too good a time. Andrea has two upcoming movies: Resistance and W.E.

Domhnall Gleeson — Bill Weasley in the Harry Potter movies — has been cast as Levin.

Tim Bevan of Working Title, who is producing the film with Eric Fellner and Paul Webster, believes the story — about a woman who has an affair with a younger man but remains trapped in her stale marriage to a dull husband — has ‘incredible relevance today’.

He added: ‘That’s why it has remained a classic through all this time — because people relate to it.

Read full article here!

Here's the Anna Karenina cast list thus far (*confirmed) with new additions...
*Keira Knightley - Anna Karenina
*Aaron Johnson - Count Vronsky (Anna's lover)
*Judd Law - Karenin (Anna's husband)

*Matthew Macfadyen - Prince Stepan "Stiva" Oblonsky (Anna's brother)

*Kelly Macdonald - Princess Darya "Dolly" Oblonskaya (Stepan's wife) 
Olivia Williams - Countess Vyronskaya (Vyronsky's mother)
Saoirse Ronan - Kitty (Dolly's younger sister)

Domhnall Gleeson - Contantine Dmitrich Levin
Andrea Riseborough - Princess Betsy

Note:  Benedict Cumberbatch, who was previously mentioned in the AK cast is now out due to scheduling conflicts. So, looks like Matthew stepped in, in his place!

More about → Movie News: Is Matthew Macfadyen joining Keira Knightley on Joe Wright's 'Anna Karenina' film?

Casting Update on Joe Wright's 'Anna Karenina' starring Keira Knightley

The Playlist reports more casting news for Joe Wright's upcoming period film, Anna Karenina, which will begin filming later in the fall of this year.

Here are the *confirmed ones and new additions to the Anna Karenina cast list so far...

*Keira Knightley as Anna Karenina
*Jude Law as Karenin
*Aaron Johnson as Vyronski
Kelly Macdonald (unknown role)
Benedict Cumberbatch (unknown role)

It looks like both Atonement stars Saoirse Ronan and James McAvoy are still not confirmed as JW's still waiting to hear back from them...

“Keira’s confirmed, Jude Law’s confirmed, Aaron Johnson’s confirmed, Kelly Macdonald‘s confirmed, Benedict Cumberbatch is confirmed. I’m still waiting on Saorise and James,” Wright said to us though he noted, “I’m not sure about James, he recently just had a baby so [he’s busy].” (via The Playlist)

Speaking of Joe Wright and Keira Knightley...IndieWire interviewed JW while promoting his new film, Hanna...he was about Anna Karenina and mentioned why he wanted to do it and work with KK again...

So why the return to period romance for your next film, “Anna Karenina”?
One doesn’t really think of genre, period or non-period; one really responds to stories and characters. That was what first drew me to “Hanna.” With “Anna Karenina,” the idea of a challenge to take on such an extraordinary work of fiction is really exciting. Tolstoy’s analysis of motivation and character is so extraordinary, it’s so kind of acute.

I also said I’d do it if Tom Stoppard wrote the script and he said yes. For me, every film is an education. To sit at the feet of the master and learn from him is an amazing opportunity for me. I also wanted to really work with Keira [Knightley] again—and in fact, a whole company of British actors. I was really enjoying the idea of doing a film that’s more about the actors than “Hanna” was about the action. Read full interview here.

More about → Casting Update on Joe Wright's 'Anna Karenina' starring Keira Knightley

Casting Rumors: Saoirse Ronan and James McAvoy to join Atonement co-star Keira Knightley in 'Anna Karenina'?

Are Joe Wright's Atonement cast (photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images Entertainment  | zimbio.com), the main trio: Keira Knightley,Saoirse Ronan and James McAvoy reuniting to star in his next period drama adaptation of Anna Karenina?

Keira Knightley, so far, is confirmed in the title role, but not Ronan and McAvoy...at least not yet. In Joe Wright's recent interview with LA Times' 24 Frames, the site noted that Saoirse Ronan, lead star of Wright’s upcoming “Hanna," may be joining the cast, but JW declined to confirm if she is or not...

Keira Knightley's 'Anna Karenina' aims to break new ground

The cast for the new film, incidentally, breaks down as follows: Knightley, who of course starred in Wright's "Atonement" and "Pride & Prejudice," will play Anna. Jude Law will star as husband Karenin and "Kick-Ass" star Aaron Johnson will play other-man Vronsky. (Teenage Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan could also be joining the cast, but Wright declined to confirm that.) Read full article.

Thompson on Hollywood, also caught up with Working Title's Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner (the producers of the project who also produced Wright's Pride & Prejudice film) and she listed Ronan as a possibility as well. James McAvoy was also mention...

"Now the studio is greenlighting Joe Wright and Tom Stoppard’s Anna Karenina, which reunites Wright with Atonement‘s Keira Knightley, James McAvoy and possibly Saoirse Ronan (Hanna), with Jude Law and Aaron Johnson as Bronsky. The film could start production by year’s end..."

More about → Casting Rumors: Saoirse Ronan and James McAvoy to join Atonement co-star Keira Knightley in 'Anna Karenina'?

Casting News: Keira Knightley confirmed to star in 'Anna Karenina' with Jude Law and Aaron Johnson in talks to join her!

Keira Knightley is now set to play the title role Anna Karenina with Joe Wright directing (FYI: This will be the 6th collaboration between KK and JW including the 2009 anti-domestic violence ad for Women’s Aid [Watch KK's Cut short film here] and two Chanel commercials: 2007 and 2011), Variety confirmed. Also, actors Jude Law and Aaron Johnson are both in talks to star alongside Knightley. Filming begins this fall! Read the Variety article below...

Jude Law in talks for 'Anna Karenina'

Aaron Johnson and Jude Law are in talks to join Keira Knightley in Working Title's "Anna Karenina," which Joe Wright will direct.

Tom Stoppard penned the adaptation; Working Title's Tim Bevan is producing.

In the title role of the Leo Tolstoy classic, Knightley will play a woman stuck in a loveless marriage who struggles with her attraction to a soldier.

Sources wouldn't confirm which roles Johnson and Law would play, and Working Title and Wright are still working on casting major parts. Pic is aiming for a fall production start.

Project marks the third collaboration between Knightley and Wright; the first two, "Atonement" and "Pride and Prejudice," were also period pics. Read full article.

Read more about Anna Karenina - The Storyline (Spoilers)! - The Book


In other KK movie news, her Last Night film has been announced as part of the line-up for the Tribeca Film Festival, which runs from April 20th to May 1st in Lower Manhattan, New York. It's due for a limited North American cinema release shortly afterwards.

Also, Keira is part of the UK's Comic Relief 2011 with various celebrities that include George Michael, Sir Paul McCartney, and Rupert Grint to name a few.

Watch KK's part starting at 8:02 in the video below...

(source: rednoseday)

More about → Casting News: Keira Knightley confirmed to star in 'Anna Karenina' with Jude Law and Aaron Johnson in talks to join her!

Photos: Matthew Macfadyen at English Pen Inspirations

Matthew Macfadyen reads Anna Karenina
(Photo: George Torode | source: English Pen)

Matthew Macfadyen attended and was one of the readers at English Pen Inspirations event last Sunday, March 6th at the Tricycle Theatre, London, England.

English Pen has released some photos from the Inspirations event that took place last Sunday, including new photos with Matthew Macfadyen.


Inspirations at the Tricycle Theatre

Sunday 6th March 2011: A celebration of the handover of the English PEN Presidency, from Lisa Appignanesi to Gillian Slovo. Readings by Paul Bhattacharjee, Janie Dee, Ben Kingsley, Matthew Macfadyen, Bill Paterson, Michael Pennington, Claire Price and Harriet Walter. The event was directed by Timberlake Wertenbaker and Matthew Lloyd.

The above photo is just one of the photos of Matthew Macfadyen, who was reading a passage from Anna Karenina (ironically, his P&P director Joe Wright's possible next film project is a new adaptation of Anna Karenina, which he hopes to start filming this coming Fall. If it does come to fruitation and Keira Knightley signs on in the title role, JW so need to cast MM as Vronsky! A P&P reunion of this trio would be awesome in AK or another film!)

A very lucky MM fan over at Matthew Macfadyen Forum had an interesting M&G with MM just before the event...read here: Michaela Meets Matthew Macfayden fan encounter!

More about → Photos: Matthew Macfadyen at English Pen Inspirations

Movie News: Joe Wright hopes to direct 'Anna Karenina' in the fall with Keira Knightley!

About.com just did a new interview with P&P/Atonement director Joe Wright as he promotes his upcoming new film, Hanna, which will be released in theaters April 8th. The last part of the interview was the mention of Anna Karenina that he was previously rumored to be doing next after Hanna. Now, it seems likely Anna Karenina will be his next film project if it all comes together. He might even re-team with Keira Knightley, who was previously rumored and is reportedly still attached to star in the still in development film as I previously posted here last November. Also, JW kinda hinted on Keira (though he didn't named her directly, but it was obvious he was referring to her to) possibly starring on this one in the title role, though it's not 100% confirmed yet. We shall see. I hope so. I'd love for KK and JW to do another film together again. They worked great together!

Here's Anna Karenina part of the About.com JW interview (JW also mentioned KK, P&P and Atonement in the interview)...

"It fascinates me. I’m reading at the moment, I’m hoping to do Anna Karenina in the Autumn and I’m reading about St. Petersburg society in the 18th century. There they imported a complete foreign mode of behavior. They all decided suddenly that they were going to be French. They divided their brain into two halves, the Russian half and the French half. The Russian half was always aware of what the French half was doing, how they were performing, how they were exhibiting their manners. I personally find that acting is an art form that is underestimated and overlooked in terms of its potential and what it can teach us about who we are as human beings."

Can you do Anna Karenina in two hours, or even three?
Joe Wright: "You can if you’ve got Tom Stoppard writing. He’s done an amazing script which involves Levin’s story as well as Anna’s story. Yeah, Tom Stoppard is just..also, he’s so immersed in Russian history and culture and identity or lack of it."
Will it be a challenge to make that accessible?
Joe Wright: "No, because I think Tolstoy wrote it as an accessible piece. It’s a family drama. War and Peace was his big political drama and Anna Karenina, as he says in the first sentence, is about families. 'Happy families are all happy in the same way. Unhappy families are all unhappy in different ways.' So he wrote it to be read by the new emerging literate Russian population. Obviously, it goes off into analytical theoretical studies of the Russian agricultural system which I won’t involve in the script. But the actual plot of it is fairly simple and very emotional."
What are the accents going to be? Russian?
Joe Wright: "No, because they didn’t even have Russian accents. The high society was quite French. They didn’t even speak Russian. A lot of them literally didn’t learn their own language so couldn’t talk to their own serfs, their own peasants, because they didn’t speak the same language. So the whole language issue is actually a really fertile one for that society. But I think they’ll be talking English, probably, with English accents. The problem is what you get the peasants to speak, the peasant characters and whether you have them speak the same language or whether you have them do really dodgy kind of west country English accents. They’re more difficult. I might have them speak Russian. I’m not sure."
Who’s your Anna?
Joe Wright: "Not sure yet. It’s fairly obvious, but I can’t quite say. She hasn’t signed on the line yet. I’m loyal to my actors." Read the entire JW interview here.

Speaking of  JW and KK, he directed her in the new Chanel commercial! (see Photos: Keira Knightley on the set of Chanel commercial in Paris taken last September 2010)

Keira Knightley for Coco Mademoiselle
Keira Knightly is going to be in the new advertisements for Coco Mademoiselle, a perfume by Chanel. In the ad, directed by Joe Wright, Keira will be riding a Ducati (which is apparently a motorcycle). The advert will be out on March 23rd. Read Full Story

See a scan of KK and JW behind the scenes of the new Chanel commercial

(source:)

More about → Movie News: Joe Wright hopes to direct 'Anna Karenina' in the fall with Keira Knightley!

Movie News & Rumors: Keira Knightley and Joe Wright to re-team for 'Anna Karenina'?

Keira knightley and Joe Wright

According to The Playlist, Keira Knightley & Joe Wright May Reteam On New Tom Stoppard-Penned Version Of ‘Anna Karenina’

But today brings news that another version is in the work, from a fairly prestigious team. Baz Bamigboye reports that Working Title has been developing a new adaptation, written by the great playwright Sir Tom Stoppard, and that a script’s due before Christmas. The studio’s favorite son, Joe Wright (”Pride & Prejudice,” “Atonement”) is attached to the new version, and in the spring, the director’s likely to make a decision as to whether to direct this, or the dark Abi Morgan-scripted take on “The Little Mermaid” announced earlier in the year.

But according to Working Title head honcho Tim Bevan, this one’s looking like the front-runner, telling Bamigboye that “I’m not saying I’ve made up my mind, but there’s something about Anna Karenina, Tom Stoppard and Joe Wright that sounds right.” Furthermore, and it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise to anyone, considering their working history, but it appears that Keira Knightley is ‘top of the list’ to play Anna in Wright’s version.

While she still engenders an enormous amount of hate from some quarters, Knightley’s going from strength-to-strength as an actor, and much of her best work has been done with Wright, particularly in her Oscar-nominated turn in “Pride & Prejudice,” so it’s a natural fit. Unless Knightley signs on to her rumored role in “The Dark Knight Rises,” or Noah Baumbach‘s “The Emperor’s Children” gets moving (and that was meant to shoot this summer so may be dead now), she’s also got a clear slate in 2011, should Wright’s version move forward. Read full article!

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Also, speaking of Keira Knightley in a lot of casting news rumors lately...the latest one is that Keira along with Anne Hathaway, Natalie Portman, and Rachel Weisz were (4 of the 6 actresses) all shortlisted to be in the new Batman movie! ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ To Feature Catwoman? Christopher Nolan Seeking Love Interest & Villain, but there's one that's at least confirmed Keira Knightley, Elisabeth Moss to Star in Ian Rickson's Revival of The Children's Hour Starting January 22!

More about → Movie News & Rumors: Keira Knightley and Joe Wright to re-team for 'Anna Karenina'?