Director Terry Gilliam is apparently “feverishly” at work trying to keep the “Imaginarium Of Dr. Parssanus” in the wake of co-star Heath Ledger’s death according to People who spoke with the film’s lead Christopher Plummer. The film has been temporarily shut down ever since the actor’s death and the film has been listed as in “force majeur.’
“Terry’s throwing himself into the job of trying to salvage the picture,” Plummer told the gossip magazine.
“Terry was a very good friend [of Heath’s],” Plummer added. “He very wants to go on with the movie, and I can very much understand why. Because he wants to dedicate it to Heath, of course.”
Plummer confirms – at least kind of – what TMZ had been reporting: that Ledger was sick with pneumonia, or at least sick on the set of the film. “We all caught colds because we were shooting outside on horrible, damp nights. But Heath’s went on and I don’t think he dealt with it immediately with the antibiotics.…I think what he did have was the walking pneumonia.”
He also echoed the often-heard claims of Ledger’s sleeping problems. “He was saying all the time, ‘dammit, I can’t sleep’…and he was taking all these pills [to help him].”
A representative for Johnny Depp – who has been rumored to be Ledger’s replacement on the film – told People, “There have been no official talks, and he is currently working on ‘Public Enemies’ [with director] Michael Mann for Universal.”
