Nov 3 2009 'Prince of Persia' Trailer: Jake Gyllenhaal Finds the Slow Motion Knife!
Massive CGI landscapes; vague, unplaceable accents; nonstop exposition; an utter lack of any sort of chemistry between "romantic" leads; jumping. If those are things you look for in a film, you are going to love this trailer for Prince of Persia. If not, then, well... prepare to have your eyes stained bronze for a few minutes.
Continue Reading " 'Prince of Persia' Trailer: Jake Gyllenhaal Finds the Slow Motion Knife! "
Oct 14 2009 So That's Why There's a 'Prince of Persia' Movie Being Made
Why is a Prince of Persia movie being made? Good question. Answer: because, six years ago, Jordon Mechner, a writer on the Prince of Persia series of games, used game footage to piece together a pitch trailer for what he envisioned as a film. Jerry Bruckheimer took note, decided he could make a billion dollars if he took off Jake Gyllenhaal's shirt and put him in that film, and the rest is history. (Or is it the future?)
So where is that pitch trailer now? Oh, here it is--DIGITALLY:
Continue Reading " So That's Why There's a 'Prince of Persia' Movie Being Made "
Jul 21 2009 First Look at Ben Kingsley in 'Prince of Persia'
Welp, looks like Disney decided to save some money and hire Wax Figure Ben Kingsley (WFBK) instead of Actual Ben Kingsley (Sir Ben Kingsley). Which isn't a bad deal, actually. Going with WFBK, you won't get a Gandhi performance out of those glassy eyes, but you might get something better than a Love Guru.
Big version at Coming Soon.
Jul 20 2009 'Prince of Persia' Posters: Jake Gyllenhaal Wants to Believe
Both evocative of The X-Files: Fight the Future and some kind of Arabian Nights-themed unisex cologne. Well done, Disney. Once I figure out the right image isn't the cover of a fashion magazine called "DESTINY," I'll probably be really excited to see this movie.
High-res versions here.
May 11 2009 This Prince of Persia Sure Is Fighting Some Guys
I remember reading somewhere that, prior to shooting Batman Begins, Christopher Nolan showed some of his crew Blade Runner to show them the look and feel he hoped to infuse into his superhero franchise.
Similarly, judging by these Prince of Persia clips, I'm guessing that tortoise-headed producer Jerry Bruckheimer showed his crew Aladdin and said, "Alright, make that, but also make Gladiator--and the Prince of Persia should fight a guy with Wolverine claws."
Continue Reading " This Prince of Persia Sure Is Fighting Some Guys "
Mar 9 2009 'Prince of Persia' Patiently Waits for His Chest Groomer
You have to give Jake Gyllenhaal some credit. He looks pretty relaxed for a guy clad only in chains and a grunge wig, about to make what will likely be another in the steady stream of forgettable if not awful video game-based movies. That's great acting. Or maybe he's looking to this guy for support.
(Thanks, Greg.)
Oct 13 2008 Ben Kingsley Blames YOU for 'Prince of Persia'
That's right. Because you decided it wasn't worth your time to see Elegy, The Wackness, House of Sand and Fog, Sexy Beast, or many other of his films with more reputable roles, Ben Kingsley is blaming you for his starring as the villain in Prince of Persia. He'll still take responsibility for BloodRayne and The Love Guru though.
Ben Kingsley Loves You And You [Defamer]
Sep 2 2008 From the Set of 'Prince of Persia': The Set of 'Prince of Persia'
Thanks to Greg for sending me these shots from the Prince of Persia set. It's so fitting that Jake Gyllenhaal will be making his transition to disrespected, bewigged action star in the same type of desert setting all-too-familiar to Brendan Fraser. When Jake gives his third delivery of the line, "I am the Prince of Persia!" and starts realizing his career is slipping through his fingers like grains of sand, it will be so much more poignant with the visual reference.
Aug 12 2008 Jake Gyllenhaal Makes His Way to Comic-Con
JustJared has managed to get an early look at Jake Gyllenhaal wandering the set of Prince of Persia as Dastan, the titular prince. Something about this is entirely ridiculous (the grunge/caveman hair?), but well, I guess I can't say it's inaccurate:
Jun 6 2008 Ben Kingsley Will Be 'Prince of Persia' Villainy Fellow
Earlier this week, news came that Ben Kingsley had joined the cast of Jerry Bruckheimer's attempt at making Prince of Persia: The Game into Prince of Persia: The Universally-Panned Movie, but it was unclear exactly which role the actor would later regret taking. Variety has now clarified:
Ben Kingsley will play the villain in Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer's bigscreen adapatation of the Ubisoft vidgame "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time."In the fantasy actioner, Kingsley portrays Nizam, who plots to kill his brother King Shahrman and blame it on Prince Dastan so he can take the throne.
Everyone can now rest well tonight, knowing Kingsley will be playing the stock evil-relative-after-the-throne villain.
Jun 3 2008 Respectable People Unexpectedly Join 'Prince of Persia'
Sir Ben Kingsley and Alfred Molina have joined Jerry Bruckheimer's Prince of Persia video game adaptation, adding some unexpected credibility to the project that was already cleverly being referred to as "Prince of Turdsia" (by me).
Alfred Molina will join Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton and Ben Kingsley in Disney's "Prince of Persia," the Mike Newell-directed adaptation of the Ubisoft fantasy actioner. Jerry Bruckheimer is producing.Molina will play Sheik Amar, who becomes a mentor to the prince.
Sounds like Bruckheimer has finally figured out what separates the typical, detestable video game adaptation from the hypothetical idea of a good one: distinguished British accents. After all, what made the first two X-Men films some of the better comic book adaptations? The charming accents of Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, of course. Why was the fantasy world of Lord of the Rings so rich and immersive? Because Ian McKellen's voice told us it was. Why did we believe that we too could enter a chalk drawing and sing nonsensical songs with cartoon horse spectators? Only because of the utterly convincing Cockney accent of Dick Van Dyke. It all makes sense now. If someone can get John Hurt to play Dr. Wiley in a Mega Man adaptation, it will probably win an Oscar.
Alfred Molina joins 'Prince of Persia' [Variety]
May 20 2008 Gyllenhaal, Arterton Join 'Prince of Persia', Because They're Both Clearly From That Region
After Alone in the Dark, BloodRayne, Dead or Alive, Doom, Double Dragon, Hitman, House of the Dead, Dungeon Siege, Super Mario Bros., Mortal Kombat, Resident Evil, Street Fighter, Tomb Raider, and Wing Commander, you'd think it would be getting pretty hard to find respectable actors willing to risk their reputation on a video game adaptation. Yet, for whatever reason, Jake Gyllenhaal and Bond girl up-and-comer Gemma Arterton have reportedly been persuaded to star in Jerry Bruckheimer's Prince of Persia. I suspect the cacophony of cash register bells that went off when they heard how much they'd get paid played a large part in the decision, but we can pretend it was that the director of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Love in the Time of Cholera (also, Mona Lisa Smile) is at the helm, giving Prince a slight edge over the usual Uwe Boll fare.
I haven't played the Prince of Persia games, so could someone tell me if there's a legitimate reason why blatant caucasians are playing the roles of Persian royalty? Is it like The Love Guru, where it's explained early on that he's actually a white American raised there, and thus not the new Charlie Chan, or are we just using Alec Guinness in Lawrence of Arabia as a standard now?
