Treasure Island (2012) - cast update

Rupert Penry-Jones, Donald Sutherland, Shirley Henderson and Elijah Wood are just some of the familiar faces added to cast of Syfy's upcoming Treasure Island which already listed Eddie Izzard as Long John Silver and Phil Glenister as Smollet.

Phil Glenister, Rupert Penry-Jones, Donald Sutherland, Shirley Henderson, Elijah Wood Keith Allen, David Harewood, Toby Regbo, Nina Sosanya, Daniel Mays

"Treasure Island," the special two-part movie event from RHI Entertainment, will premiere on Syfy, the home of imagination-based entertainment, in early 2012. The production stars Eddie Izzard ("The Riches," "Oceans 12," "Oceans 13") as Long John Silver. Elijah Wood ("The Lord of the Rings," "Everything Is Illuminated"), who has just been cast to reprise his role as Frodo in Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit," stars as Ben Gunn. Donald Sutherland ("Pride & Prejudice," "Ordinary People," "M*A*S*H") will also star as Flint. This new adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson classic is currently shooting in Puerto Rico and Ireland.

Toby Regbo, who is set to appear in the final "Harry Potter" film as Young Dumbledore, takes on the role of the gutsy, eager and courageous young Jim Hawkins. Jim is unexpectedly drawn into the world of piracy when he discovers a treasure map and finds himself battling with Silver for the treasure and his life. Shirley Henderson ("Harry Potter," "Bridget Jones") plays his mother and Nina Sosanya ("Love Actually") is Silver's wife.

"'Treasure Island' is one of the greatest tales in all of literature," said RHI Entertainment's Robert Halmi Sr. "We have retained the adrenaline-charged atmosphere and action from the original work, while adding an edgier, darker tone that will resonate with contemporary audiences. It is a thrilling experience to be able to take this story and re-interpret it for today's viewers."

Phillip Glenister ("Ashes to Ashes," "Mad Dogs") plays Captain Smollet. Rupert Penry-Jones ("Spooks," "Whitechapel") takes on the role of Squire Trelawney and Daniel Mays ("Made in Dagenham," "Plus One," "Red Riding") is Dr Livesey who all lead the voyage with Jim aboard The Hispaniola. David Harewood ("Strike Back," "Mrs. Mandela," "Blood Diamond") and Keith Allen ("Robin Hood," "Bodies") are the pirates, Bones and Pew, who lead Jim into the murky world of piracy.

Produced by Laurie Borg ("Made in Dagenham," "Sense and Sensibility," "Little Voice") and it is written by Stewart Harcourt ("Hearts & Bones," "Poirot," "Marple"). "Treasure Island" is directed by Steve Barron ("Merlin," "Arabian Nights").

Update quoted from Seat42f

More information on Treasure Island

The Eagle (2010)

Based on 1954 historical adventure
The Eagle of the Ninth
by Rosemary Sutcliff

In 140 AD, a young Roman centurion attempts to uncover the truth about the disappearance of his father's legion—the Ninth—in the north of Britain twenty years previously. The centurion, Marcus Aquila (Tatum), travels with a British slave, Esca (Bell), beyond Hadrian's Wall into Caledonia, where he must confront the tribes to recover the legion's eagle standard and restore his father's reputation.

IMDb

Released in February 2011

Picture of Loch Lomond, one of the film locations>>

Cast:

- Channing Tatum as centurion Marcus Aquila
- Jamie Bell as Esca, a British slave
- Donald Sutherland as Aquila, Marcus' uncle who is living retired in Britain
- Mark Strong as Guern, "an ex-soldier who holds crucial information about the Ninth"

Pillars of the Earth

Pillars of the Earth will premiere

Friday, July 23, 2010
The Movie Network in Canada and on Starz in the U.S.
(It will also be shown on CBC in Canada in January 2011)

New pics have been added to the official website and I've added new pics of the cast below.
>>Video: trailer
>>Video: preview and interviews
>>Video: The Making of The Pillars of the Earth
>>interview with Ken Follett
>>see photos of characters with description
>>more photos

>>View video of behind the scenes
>>Official website for miniseries
>>Read more details at Ken Follett's website
>>IMDB link

A new series is about to start filming that will feature Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bennett, Mary Crawford, Angel Clare, Will Ladislaw AND Gordon Pinsent. Am I excited? You betcha.
[Now, Fitzwilliam Darcy will not be showing up but we will see Matthew Macfadyen, Donald Sutherland, Hayley Atwell, Eddie Redmayne, Rufus Sewell AND Gordon Pinsent!] I have been thinking about reading this book for a while so now my mind has been made up for me...
I'm curious about Macfadyen's character and looked up in Wikipedia:
Prior Philip is described as a "resourceful and dedicated monk, whose dream is to see Kingsbridge rise to greatness. He becomes the benevolent ruler of Kingsbridge — allocating resources, organising commerce, resolving disputes and meting out justice, essentially without armed force. His moral strictness frustrates several sympathetic characters, but is completely devoid of malice." Can't wait to see MM in this.

Rufus Sewell / Tom Builder

Matthew Macfadyen / Prior Phillip

Ian McShane / Waleran

Hayley Atwell / Aliena

Sarah Parish / Regan Hamleigh


Robert Bathhurst /Percy Hamleigh
(Mr. Weston in the upcoming BBC's Emma.)


Eddie Redmayne / Jack

Donald Sutherland / Bartholomew


Gordon Pinsent / Archbishop

Natalia Woerner / Ellen

David Oakes / William



Skye Bennett / Martha

Liam Garrigan / Alfred


Götz Otto / Walter


John Pielmeier / Cuthbert


David Bark Jones / Francis


Anatole Taubman / Remigius

Jody Halse / Johnny Eightpence

Sam Claflin / Richard

Sidney Johnston / Jonathan

Kate Dickie / Agnes

Tony Curran / King Stephen

Alison Pill / Maud aka. Matilda

Matt Devere / Robert of Gloucester

Freddie Boath / Henry II

Clive Wood / Henry I

The following is an excerpt from The Hollywood Reporter,

" Most of the big Euro stations have lined up to air "The Pillars of the Earth," but so far there are no broadcast takers in the U.S. or the U.K.

A Germany-Canada co-production, the eight-hour saga, based on Ken Follett's best-seller, will be directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan, who has helmed episodes of "Heroes" and "Saving Grace" and was Steven Spielberg's first assistant director on "Saving Private Ryan" and "Schindler's List."

"Pillars" starts lensing June 22 in Hungary and Austria. The premiere is set for the second half of 2010.

Ian McShane, who starred on HBO's "Deadwood," will play Waleran; Donald Sutherland takes the role as Bartholomew; and Rufus Sewell, who recently headlined "Eleventh Hour," plays Tom Builder. Others who have signed on for the shoot include Matthew Macfadyen ("Frost/Nixon") as Prior Philip, Sarah Parish ("The Holiday") as Regan Hamleigh, Hayley Atwell ("Brideshead Revisited") as Aliena, Eddie Redmayne ("The Other Boleyn Girl") as Jack and Gordon Pinsent ("Away from Her") as the Archbishop.

The novel has been adapted by John Pielmeier, who will also play the role of Cuthbert in the saga. His credits include "The Memory Keeper's Daughter" and "Hitler: The Rise of Evil."

The historical novel set in 12th century England involves war, religious strife and power struggles as well as two interwoven love stories.

The mini already has been licensed to Germany's ProSiebenSat1, Canada's CBC and the Movie Network, Spain's Sogecable, Austria's ORF, Hungary's TV2 and stateside to Sony Pictures Home Entertainment for DVD. No broadcast deal is set for the U.S.

"Ken Follett's storytelling artistry presents a richness and brilliance we dream about when searching for outstanding properties for event television," Scott Free principal Ridley Scott said.

Published 20 years ago, the novel has been translated into 30 languages. In 2007, it was named Oprah Winfrey's 60th Book Club selection, prompting the U.S. publisher to ship an additional 1.4 million copies.

Get wallpapers from the original handmade artwork by Petra Röhr-Rouendaal
illustrating the 1999 edition of The Pillars of the Earth.

Just found out that Ken Follett will have a small cameo in the production...