When Swedish director Lasse Hallström (“What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?” “The Cider House Rules“) announced he would be directing the Sweden-set crime thriller “The Hypnotist” this year, we asked, ok, what did this mean for Nicole Kidman‘s Blossom Films‘ developing transgendered drama “The Danish Girl”?
Well, it apparently means that Hallström has bowed out, as has the loosely-attached co-star Rachel Weisz.
“There has been too much back and forth with the film, I don´t think the script is perfect and since Rachel Weisz left the project two weeks ago, there is not a complete cast,” Hallstrom told ScreenDaily today. “This is a sensitive subject, and I feel a film about it should not be rushed into production without everything being perfect. But I have told the producers that if they don´t find a new director now, I´d be happy to make the film at a later stage.”
Weisz recently signed on to not just one, but two high-profile tentpoles, Disney‘s “Oz The Great and Powerful” and Universal‘s “The Bourne Legacy,” so we imagine that’s where the scheduling conflict came from. The picture about the world’s first sex change operation was set to go into production (as rumored) this summer in Germany, but now it might be back to the drawing board as the producers need to find a helmer and co-star.
“The Danish Girl” has gone through several permutations with Kidman at its core. Tomas Alfredson, the filmmaker behind the celebrated Swedish vampire drama, “Let The Right One In,” was once set to helm before he left for “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy,” and both Charlize Theron and Gwyneth Paltrow were once set to star in the role that Weisz just vacated (Marion Cotillard was at one time rumored to be a replacement as well).
Written by Lucinda Coxon (“Wild Target” starring Emily Blunt), gestating since 2009 and reportedly ready with the funds to shoot this summer, it remains to be seen whether replacements will be found in time, especially since the former director is publicly voicing his script concerns. Then again, it won’t be the first project to take a few years to materialize on screen.
\”Sorry but her performance in Monster owns everything plastic-face Kidman’s ever done\”
Ok, that was a funny joke…Because…this is a joke..right???
You missed \”few\” things about Ms Nicole Kidman. She did more than Bewitched..Just saying dude. come back when you\’re grown up and understood kidman is not just better than charlize theron (decent actress at her best) but better than the 90% of the actresses in hollywood.
anyway, thank God Hallstrom left, he\’s a bad director. sorry for Weisz but she had other projects and she may had problems. I hope they find a new director very soon and fix what it needs to be fixed, whatever it is.
Seems the obvious is being missed.
Kidman just added another baby. She had to shelve the project for a time.
It\’s quite normal for the other people to detach to find other work.
Theron far from talented? Sorry but her performance in Monster owns everything plastic-face Kidman\’s ever done. And Kidman\’s just staying because it\’s an Oscar baity part, but the script is probably weak and that\’s why all these people are leaving and she\’s alone once again.
I want this film to be made so badly, I\’ve been waiting so long for it and I really hope Nicole doesn\’t give up on it 🙂
When four of the top actresses around bail on your project, you have a problem. When both of the directors who you have hired to direct this film bail on you and begin to bad mouth the production, you have a bigger problem. Kidman and the producers should start addressing the problems this film has or they are going to be left with a huge stinker on their hands.
The reason why Nicole Kidman is staying is because its more a vanity project that a collaborative effort. Kidman one of the producers of this film and has refused to let the directors who come in to direct this film try to fix the script. Notice that not one of the actresses who came in for the role of her co star has stayed with the project.
That should tell you right there that its more a vanity project for Kidman that an collaborative effort with the directors and other actors.
Hallström thinks this script is not perfect. That cannot be the reason why he\’s leaving because that would mean that he thought that the script for Dear John was perfect. And no one is sufficiently moronic to think that.
I think that the fact that Kidman stays says more about the film than the fact that people such as Charlize Theron (who I think is far from talented) or Lasse Hallström (who directed Hachiko and Dear John) leave it. I hope Kidman gets a real auteur for this one…
\”I wonder why weisz decided not to do this movie \”
Come, it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out the reason. When you have two directors bad mouthing the script, you can guess why Weisz and the other actors( Theron, Cotillard, Paltrow) walked away.
Well it was only a rumor that cotillard was gonna be in this movie. I wonder why weisz decided not to do this movie and lol it has not been confirmed yet that weisz will be in oz and bourne legacy.
Cotillard and Theron were rumored. I hope they change the script…
Strange to note Hallstrom noticed after a year in the project that the script has problems..He doesn\’t seem very clever
I\’m not surprised by Rachel Weisz and Lasse Hallström walking from the project. Both Hallstrom and Tomas Alfredson have commented that the script had problems. While Weisz is the forth actress to bail from the film. I don\’t believe scheduling for Weisz was a problem considering the fact that she sign on for OZ and Bourne after she left this project.
Chances are that this film has major problems going for it and when four well respected and talented actors walk and two respected directors walk as well, chances are that the problems this film has are major.