It looks like The Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer have been hitting the Asian film section of their local video store (or more likely, their Netflix queue).
The eagle eyes over at Filmonic picked up on a report from South Korean outlet Sports Chosun which reveals that actress Bae Doona has joined the upcoming “Cloud Atlas.” Boona is not completely unknown on this side of the ocean as genre and arthouse fans may recognize her from “Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance” or “The Host,” but this will clearly be her biggest role to date. The film was already touted as the most expensive German production of all time with a budget of $100 million and now, with additional funding coming into place, the total pricetag is now up to $150 million. That’s a big piece of wurst.
Unlike the principal cast who are expected to play multiple roles, Doona is said to be taking the part of Sonmi~450 who is described by Wikipedia as “a genetically-engineered fabricant (clone) server at Papa Song’s diner (a stand-in for McDonald’s), is interviewed before her execution after she rebels against the capitalist totalitarian society that created and exploited her kind. The next character watches Sonmi’s story projected holographically in an ‘orison’, a futuristic recording device.” Geez, that’s enough plot for one movie let alone just serving as one character in a much bigger, quilt of a story.
Adapted from the complex novel by David Mitchell, the story follows six plot threads across time — a 19th century notary on a Pacific expedition, a bisexual musician in the 1930s, a female journalist in a thriller in 1970s California, an aging publisher in London in the present, a clone in a futuristic dystopia, and a Pacific survivor in a post-apocalyptic world — all of which fold in on themselves. We’re tremendously excited to see how the filmmakers bring the material to the big screen, and they won’t be lacking talent as Tom Hanks, Hugo Weaving, Ben Whishaw, Halle Berry, Susan Sarandon and Jim Broadbent are all on board.
Production on “Cloud Atlas” begins this fall with a late 2012 release date being eyed.
I\’ve following this project since I heard \”Jim Sturgess enter talks to join\” this film.I heard it a month ago.No official words on this yet.I wonder it\’s rumor after all? Does anyone know about it?
Thanks!
She was wonderful in \”Air Doll\”. I have a chance to see a screening of the film during a brief stint in Tokyo as a film student.
Mr Anonymous, you\’re probably right that many people (especially those who haven\’t read the book) might not be itching to see this, so this won\’t be a blockbuster. The bigger issue is this might fail because it\’s the Wachowskis. A more capable director would be able to film this well despite the unconventional structure of the book. That takes a lot of talent, and I don\’t think the Wachowskis have that talent based on their previous films.
They have obviously watched Air Doll… but ok, I\’ll take it. I love Doona Bae, and this just makes me mad excited.
That new Warners chief sure does like spending money. Budgets up. Marketing spends up big time. The spend on Green Lantern alone was insane. I don\’t see this ending well.
This movie sounds like an epic fail.
If you said to average clueless punter to you do you fancy watching a movie adapted from the complex novel by David Mitchell, the story follows six plot threads across time—a 19th century notary on a Pacific expedition, a bisexual musician in the 1930s, a female journalist in a thriller in 1970s California, an aging publisher in London in the present, a clone in a futuristic dystopia, and a Pacific survivor in a post-apocalyptic world—all of which fold in on themselves.
What do you think they would say? No way will this bring bums on seats. Sadly, this will bomb. Big time.
YES!!!
that budget is pretty high. having read the book, i just can\’t imagine this thing is pulling in huge numbers. it\’s a fantastic story, but still – this is the era of transformers.
Yeah, that\’s not Bae Doona. That\’s Moon Geun Young (http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Moon_Geun_Young).
This is Bae Doona: http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Bae_Doo_Na
Umm… that picture is not her… it\’s another Asian actress. I know we all look alike, but come on!