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+--- Thread: "I Claudius" -- New Feature Film...? (/showthread.php?tid=10398)
"I Claudius" -- New Feature Film...? - Narukami - 09-06-2007
Given how Hollywood has handled Ancient Rome, this could be good news or not...
[size=150:ebxcyvb2]"Claudius" to reign again on big screen[/size]
By Borys Kit
Thu Sep 6, 2:08 AM ET
TORONTO (Hollywood Reporter) - Producer Scott Rudin has picked up the film rights to Robert Graves' Roman Empire-set novel, "I, Claudius."
Leonardo DiCaprio and screenwriter William Monahan, who worked together on "The Departed," are circling the project, though no offers have been made.
"I, Claudius," published in 1934, recounts the internecine plots and counterplots surrounding the fourth emperor of Rome, who ruled from 41-54 A.D.
The novel previously was adapted into the 1937 film of the same name, directed by Josef von Sternberg and starring Charles Laughton as the beleaguered emperor. But it is best known as the basis for the 1976 BBC miniseries, "I, Claudius," which starred Derek Jacobi, Sian Phillips and John Hurt.
"Claudius" is not yet set up at a studio, though sources said it likely will land at Walt Disney Studios, where Rudin's production company is housed. In that case, the adult-oriented project most likely would land at the studio's specialty films division Miramax or its Touchstone Pictures label.
Rudin's recent films include "Venus" and "Notes on a Scandal" as well as the upcoming "The Darjeeling Limited" and "Margot at the Wedding."
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
We can hope for the best. :?
Narukami
Re: "I Claudius" -- New Feature Film...? - Tarbicus - 09-07-2007
DiCaprio's performance in What's Eating Gilbert Grape (I'd never seen him before then and was convinced he was a genuine kid with learning difficulties brought in to play the part), mixed with his recent 'hard man' roles which he's carrying off pretty well, I think he'd be a good choice for Claudius.
Scott Rudin puts a lot of effort and very high quality into his productions down to the tiniest detail (I worked on one of his films so I've been there, even though the stuff ended up on the cutting room floor :roll: ). He ends up with very high quality films.
Re: "I Claudius" -- New Feature Film...? - Narukami - 09-07-2007
Indeed so Tarbicus -- Leonardo's performances this past year were quite good so perhaps he would do well as Claudius, though the cast from the TV series will be tough to beat.
Of more concern is the scope of the project. The two books cover so much time and so many events that the format used by the fabled BBC production suited the books to a T. It was a perfect union. Trying to cover as much in a feature film usually results in a "Reader's Digest" version of the story or in a film too long and too confused to enjoy.
The question now: Just how much of the books will they try to cover?
Most intriguing though is your connection with the film's director. Tarbicus perhaps you can drop him a line with a link to the Roman Army Site. Maybe, just maybe, members of our Forum can has a positive effect on the look of the film in terms of historical accuracy. Certainly it would not hurt to try and could result in a much better looking film.
The books and the TV series are favorites around our house so there is hope the feature film will be good, but it has very high expectations to live up to.
As always time will tell but hope does spring eternal. :wink:
Narukami
Re: "I Claudius" -- New Feature Film...? - Tarbicus - 09-07-2007
Quote: perhaps you can drop him a line with a link to the Roman Army Site.It just doesn't work like that in VFX I'm afraid. He was producer of the show, in LA, and there's a pretty strict pecking order of who gets to interact in that way with the client. Other jobs it's very different, but definitely on that one no way.
What I do know is that I've really liked a lot of film he's produced, from the likes of 'The Hours' to 'Angela's Ashes' to even 'Clueless'. He's very prolific and not averse to taking risks: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0748784/
Re: "I Claudius" -- New Feature Film...? - FlaviusCrispus - 09-07-2007
Quote:DiCaprio's performance in What's Eating Gilbert Grape (I'd never seen him before then and was convinced he was a genuine kid with learning difficulties brought in to play the part), mixed with his recent 'hard man' roles which he's carrying off pretty well, I think he'd be a good choice for Claudius.
No, NO, NOOOOOO.
Russell Crowe for Claudius.
Leo DiCaprio for CALIGULA.
Re: "I Claudius" -- New Feature Film...? - FlaviusCrispus - 09-07-2007
On second thought, let's cast this thing properly, with a RAT poll.
Which contemporary actor / actress should play the following roles?
CLAUDIUS --
AUGUSTUS --
LIVIA --
TIBERIUS --
SEJANUS --
GERMANICUS --
CALIGULA --
MESSALINA --
AGRIPPINA JR. --
Re: "I Claudius" -- New Feature Film...? - john m roberts - 09-08-2007
Claudius - Paul Giamatti
Augustus - Hugh Laurie
Livia - Faye Dunaway
Tiberius - Liam Neeson
Sejanus - Mark Wahlberg
Germanicus - dunno
Caligula - Daniel Radcliffe
Messalina - Catherine Zeta-Jones, because I'd really like to see her naked.
Aggripina jr. - undecided
Nero - that fat kid in "Superbad."
Antonia - Kathy Bates
The problem with dream casts like this is that you're always casting A-list actors in supporting roles, which isn't going to happen.
Re: "I Claudius" -- New Feature Film...? - FlaviusCrispus - 09-08-2007
Quote:Claudius - Paul Giamatti
Oooh, you're not going to believe this, but he's just who I was going to pick-- but then I thought of how Crowe pulled off that lumpen bureuacrat character in the "Insider," and thought, "maybe him..." Also figured he'd want to revisit "Gladiator" territory... But Giamatti would be perfect, too.
Like the rest of your choices, too, but have to go back and figure out who Hugh Laurie is.
Re: "I Claudius" -- New Feature Film...? - Virilis - 09-08-2007
Quote:DiCaprio's performance in What's Eating Gilbert Grape (I'd never seen him before then and was convinced he was a genuine kid with learning difficulties brought in to play the part)Strange that you brought this up, Jim. I was too amazed by his performance and there were no "DiCaprio" hystery born yet...
I would have loved to see Roy Scheider playing Caesar ( If I remember the name correctly, that police guy in the first "Jaws")! Also James Candolfino as Varus and this old actor playing general Patton as Vespasian whose name I don`t remember...
I, Clavdivs - D B Campbell - 09-08-2007
Quote:Claudius - Paul Giamatti.Hmmm ... not convinced. I'd need to see him in a toga to visualise properly.
(Now, there's a PhotoShop challenge, Tarb! :wink: )
Re: "I Claudius" -- New Feature Film...? - Martin Wallgren - 09-08-2007
Radcliff would actually be a great Caligula...
![[Image: 378698595_d50fcb27f6.jpg]](http://farm1.static.flickr.com/125/378698595_d50fcb27f6.jpg)
![[Image: hb_14.37.jpg]](http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/images/hb/hb_14.37.jpg)
Re: "I Claudius" -- New Feature Film...? - Martin Wallgren - 09-08-2007
How about Nero!
![[Image: p-nero-cap.JPG]](http://www.romancoins.info/p-nero-cap.JPG)
![[Image: Sean_Astin.jpg]](http://www.bucknell.edu/Images/Depts/Communication/Sean_Astin.jpg)
Re: I, Clavdivs - Tarbicus - 09-08-2007
Quote:john m roberts:2kwlxjur Wrote:Claudius - Paul Giamatti.Hmmm ... not convinced. I'd need to see him in a toga to visualise properly.
(Now, there's a PhotoShop challenge, Tarb! :wink: )
Okay then :wink:
Giamatti
DiCaprio
Re: "I Claudius" -- New Feature Film...? - FlaviusCrispus - 09-08-2007
CLAUDIUS -- Crowe or Giamatti
AUGUSTUS -- Michael Caine
LIVIA -- Michelle Pfeiffer
TIBERIUS -- Ian McShane
SEJANUS -- Kevin McKidd
GERMANICUS -- Christian Bale
CALIGULA -- Leo DiCaprio or Daniel Radcliff (I'll join the crowd, here!)
MESSALINA -- Kirstin Dunst
AGRIPPINA JR. -- Catherine Zeta Jones (I think she's a little old for Messalina, but I agree about the need to see her naked...)
Re: "I Claudius" -- New Feature Film...? - Tarbicus - 09-08-2007
I'd have:
Augustus: Jeremy Irons / Albert Finney / Tom Wilkinson
Tiberius: Ralph Fiennes / Rupert Everett
Claudius: One of the two above (Giamatti's a good one) / Paul Bettany
Livia: Joanna Lumley / Helen Mirren
Caligula: Johnny Lee Miller
Sejanus: Tim Roth / Christopher Eccleston / Vincent Cassel
Germanicus: Rufus Sewell