So, are you ready for a literary thriller about Shakespeare from guy who directed “2012” and “10,000 BC”? Neither are we, but ready or not, Roland Emmerich’s “Anonymous” (prediction: that title is going to change) is slated to hit theaters next spring on March 25, 2011.
The film, written by John Orloff (“A Mighty Heart”), is a period thriller examining the so-called ‘Oxfordian theory’ that Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford, was behind the plays and poems attributed to William Shakespeare. This would be interesting in anyone else’s hands, but with Emmerich at the helm we’re pretty much expecting this to be “Da Vinci Code”-level of ridiculous.
And in case you might be thinking that a period setting with a story that presumably includes no explosions won’t have Emmerich toying with CGI, think again. Earlier this year actor Xavier Samuel revealed, “There is a lot of green screen, a lot of special effects. They’re really re-creating the London from that time. It’s going to be quite visually spectacular.”
Shooting is took place earlier this year in Berlin with a cast consisting of Edward Hogg, David Thewlis, Vanessa Redgrave, Rhys Ifans, Joely Richardson and Rafe Spall (one of the two Andy’s in Edgar Wright’s “Hot Fuzz”) playing the grand wordsmith himself.
The movie will open against Zack Snyder’s “Sucker Punch” pretty much guaranteeing that Emmerich’s usually teenage boy fanbase will abandon him this time around. But hey, maybe this will be that rare adult spring drama that will wow critics and be a clever bit of counter-programming……right? [Collider]
