Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly To Star In Film Based on Darwin’s Life

[Dark Donnie]

Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly are set to star in Creation, a film based on the life of On the Origin of Species author Charles Darwin. Bettany will play Darwin and Connelly will play his wife and cousin, Emma; the film will explore the relationship between the two as Darwin’s beliefs began to cause friction with Emma’s Anglicanism. Creation will be directed by Jon Amiel and produced by Jeremy Thomas with a script by John Collee. Between the three of them, there is some pretty amazing pedigree here, from The Last Emperor all the way to Master and Commander. Filming is scheduled to start later this month in England.

http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/09/04...nnelly-to-star-in-film-based-on-darwins-life/

 

[Dark Donnie]

http://justjared.buzznet.com/2008/10/10/paul-bettany-charles-darwin-first-pictures/

 

[TNC9852002]

Long overdue methinks.

-TNC

 

[The Shredder]

I'll be checking this out. Definately worth a look.

 

[Rac]

Charles Darwin film 'too controversial for religious America'

A British film about Charles Darwin has failed to find a US distributor because his theory of evolution is too controversial for American audiences, according to its producer.

By Anita Singh, Showbusiness Editor
Published: 4:53PM BST 11 Sep 2009

Creation, starring Paul Bettany, details Darwin's "struggle between faith and reason" as he wrote On The Origin of Species. It depicts him as a man who loses faith in God following the death of his beloved 10-year-old daughter, Annie.

The film was chosen to open the Toronto Film Festival and has its British premiere on Sunday. It has been sold in almost every territory around the world, from Australia to Scandinavia.

However, US distributors have resolutely passed on a film which will prove hugely divisive in a country where, according to a Gallup poll conducted in February, only 39 per cent of Americans believe in the theory of evolution.

Movieguide.org, an influential site which reviews films from a Christian perspective, described Darwin as the father of eugenics and denounced him as "a racist, a bigot and an 1800s naturalist whose legacy is mass murder". His "half-baked theory" directly influenced Adolf Hitler and led to "atrocities, crimes against humanity, cloning and genetic engineering", the site stated.

The film has sparked fierce debate on US Christian websites, with a typical comment dismissing evolution as "a silly theory with a serious lack of evidence to support it despite over a century of trying".

Jeremy Thomas, the Oscar-winning producer of Creation, said he was astonished that such attitudes exist 150 years after On The Origin of Species was published.

"That's what we're up against. In 2009. It's amazing," he said.

"The film has no distributor in America. It has got a deal everywhere else in the world but in the US, and it's because of what the film is about. People have been saying this is the best film they've seen all year, yet nobody in the US has picked it up.

"It is unbelievable to us that this is still a really hot potato in America. There's still a great belief that He made the world in six days. It's quite difficult for we in the UK to imagine religion in America. We live in a country which is no longer so religious. But in the US, outside of New York and LA, religion rules.

"Charles Darwin is, I suppose, the hero of the film. But we tried to make the film in a very even-handed way. Darwin wasn't saying 'kill all religion', he never said such a thing, but he is a totem for people."

Creation was developed by BBC Films and the UK Film Council, and stars Bettany's real-life wife Jennifer Connelly as Darwin's deeply religious wife, Emma. It is based on the book, Annie's Box, by Darwin's great-great-grandson, Randal Keynes, and portrays the naturalist as a family man tormented by the death in 1851 of Annie, his favourite child. She is played in the film by 10-year-old newcomer Martha West, the daughter of The Wire star Dominic West.

Early reviews have raved about the film. The Hollywood Reporter said: "It would be a great shame if those with religious convictions spurned the film out of hand as they will find it even-handed and wise."

Mr Thomas, whose previous films include The Last Emperor and Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence, said he hoped the reviews would help to secure a distributor. In the UK, special screenings have been set up for Christian groups.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...-too-controversial-for-religious-America.html

Huh. I'd imagine at least some studio like Lionsgate would have balls to distribute this in America, but maybe they are not interested.

 

[nightwing06]

 

[Kent]

I thought of Bettany for Darwin ever since his part as Dr. Maturin in Master & Commander. This should be interesting... will definitely be watching.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

The west borough baptist church are gonna riot the premier. I can't wait till evangelical cristians start suicide bombing in the name of JC.

 

[Superfreak]

The west borough baptist church are gonna riot the premier. I can't wait till evangelical cristians start suicide bombing in the name of JC.

are you saying that in support of... or are you just excited to see the fallout?

 

[Tacit Ronin]

are you saying that in support of... or are you just excited to see the fallout?

I want religion to die out.

 

[ChickenScratch]

Can't wait to see this movie. But then I'm one of those atheists that the christians probably hate.

 

[Raiden]

I hope this film comes to the US. If they can release a film like The Last Temptation of Christ, then I don't see why they can't have a film that depicts the life of Charles Darwin. Btw, I'm also shocked at the result of only 39% of Americans believe in evolution. C'mon, it's 2009; I thought we'd be more forward-thinking than that.

 

[corby]

I'm a christian and I'll be seeing this. People who refuse to see a good film because it contradicts their belief system really annoy me.

 

[chaseter]

I'm a Christian and I like Darwin as well. I doubt I go to a theatre to see it but when it is on tv I will catch it.

I don't think this really has everything to do with religion. FAR more offensive films have been shown in the US and have even been succesful. Religulous was in theatres for crap's sake. I just think it is distributors not wanting to risk the possible loss.

I want religion to die out.

I want crazies on both sides to die out. This isn't religion's fault, this is people's fault.