Casting Bits: Keira Knightley In ‘Untouched’, Wendi McLendon-Covey In ‘A White Trash Christmas’, Hayley Atwell In ‘The Return Of Captain Nemo’
Just as Emma Thompson’s VictorianEffieisfinally coming together, competition has sprung up in the form of a rival project inspired by the exact same subject.Keira Knightleyis reportedly in talks to take the lead inUntouched, a biopic ofEffie Graywritten byAleksandra CrapanzanowithAndrucha Waddington(House of Sand) directing.
Both films are based on the same scandalous 1850s love triangle between Gray, the art critic John Ruskin, and painter John Everett Millais. Gray was married to the much older Ruskin, but Ruskin could not bring himself to consummate the marriage (despite being virile, as he demonstrated in court. Seriously). Gray eventually had the marriage annulled and left Ruskin for his protege Millais.
Development onUntouchedis still in the early stages, with no other cast attached at this time and no start date announced. Knightley currently stars as the center of a different mentor-protege love triangle, in David Cronenberg’sA Dangerous Method.Effieis filming now, with Dakota Fanning starring and Richard Laxton directing. [Thompson on Hollywood]
After the jump, aBridesmaidsstar who’snotnamed Kristen Wiig or Melissa McCarthy lands a leading role, andCaptain America’s Hayley Atwell goes hunting for sea monsters or something.
The project is being directed by relative newcomerRon Carlson, who also co-wrote the script withTerri Hauffman. McLendon-Covey will next appear in Steven Soderbergh’s male stripper movieMagic Mike, with Channing Tatum and Alex Pettyfer. [Cinema Blend]
Hayley Atwellhas been cast inThe Return of Captain Nemo, a sequel to Jules Verne’s20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. (The project isnotrelated tothe David Fincher-directed20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.) Directed byPearry Teo, the steampunk-flavored adventure will starHugh Bonneville(Downton Abbey) as the formidable captain of the Nautilus. Atwell will play Sara, the niece of President Ulysses S. Grant’s chief adviser (David Morrissey).
The story takes off when Grant frees Nemo from prison so that he can find out why mysterious sea monsters are attacking ships along the Atlantic Coast. The $10 million 3D picture is slated for an January start, and will shoot entirely onstage with green screen and CG effects.
However, Atwell’s involvement is apparently contingent on whether or not she lands Joseph Kosinski’sOblivion. Atwell wasrecently announcedas one of the finalists for one of the female leads in the Tom Cruise-starring sci-fi pic, and will reportedly dropNemoif she wins that part. [Screen Rant]
