Ben as Dorian Gray.
Source: Variety
Ealing Studios Intl. is dusting off its fishnet stockings and making a sequel to hit Brit laffer “St. Trinians.”
“St. Trinians 2: The Legend of Fritton’s Gold” will once again be helmed by Oliver Parker and studio topper Barnaby Thompson.
Announcement was made as part of Ealing’s unveiling of its international slate.
Other projects include Oliver Parker’s Oscar Wilde adaptation “Dorian Gray” and Amma Asante’s “Where Hands Touch.”
The sequel to “St. Trinians” will likely re-team most of the original’s cast, with lensing set to start in January next year.
The next installment of the Brit schoolgirl romp finds the mischief-making heroines set off on a treasure hunt after they discover headmistress Miss Fritton, played by Rupert Everett in drag, is related to pirates.
“It would be good with ‘St. Trinians’ to get the old gang back in,” studio topper Barnaby Thompson told Variety. “With ‘Dorian Gray’ the idea is to give it a sexy, contemporary feel but still doing it in period.”
Ben Barnes (“The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian”) plays the lead role with principal photography set to begin July 28.
“Where Hands Touch” is a WWII drama about a mixed- race girl in small-town Germany who moves to Berlin to flee the SS. There, however, she falls in love with a senior SS official’s son with whom she’s reunited in an internment camp, where he’s a guard.
Helmer Asante’s debut pic “A Way of Life,” which also tackled racial intolerance, won the Bafta for newcomer.
“Amma’s script blew us all away,” said Ealing’s head of international sales Natalie Brenner. “She is interested in dealing with racial issues in a difference way.”
Lensing is set to start this fall.
Ealing Studios Intl. is the sales arm of the U.K.’s historic Ealing Studios.
Thompson bowed the division at last year’s Cannes.
Since then the unit has developed a formidable lineup of projects, which includes Julian Fellowes’ “From Time to Time,” a time-traveling period drama starring Maggie Smith and Timothy Spall; Richard Eyre’s “The Other Man” starring Liam Neeson and Antonio Banderas; and Stephan Elliott’s “Easy Virtue,” starring Jessica Biel, Colin Firth about Ben Barnes.
“The main thing for us is we’ve hit our target of making four to six films a year,” said Ealing managing director James Spring. “With our sales arm we’re looking to come up with strong, distinctive slate of movies that we can take to market and have international appeal.”
May 19th, 2008 at 11:56 am
I am so glad that he took up the challenge to play this controversial role of Dorian! it’s like taking a step further in matter of acting and technique. all i wish is that they don’t turn the movie into some sci-fi adventure like the previous attempt with Dorian (the one with Sean Connery in it). I want to see him act more! perfect for the role, just perfect!