Prince of Persia - Mike Newell

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 14 Mar 2008, 09:09

Another game adaptation, but this one has a story that can lend its self well to the screen. Directed by Briton Mike Newell, whom most recently made Harry Potter 4.

http://www.kotaku.com.au/games/2008/03/ ... cco-2.html

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 14 Mar 2008, 21:35

Agreed, it does.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 22 May 2008, 10:01

Random, Jake Gyllenhaal is playing the prince. Also "Quantum of Solace" Bond girl Gemma Arterton has been cast in some role, possibly Princess Farah?

Jake Gyllenhaal is to star in new film version ‘Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.’

The actor will play the lead role in the film, based on the popular video game series, and will star alongside Bond girl Gemma Arterton.

The movie is being produced and distributed by Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Walt Disney Pictures – the team behind the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ trilogy, and will be helmed by ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’ director Mike Newell.

Bruckheimer has praised ‘Rendition’ actor Gyllenhaal as “charismatic” and has high hopes for newcomer Arterton.

He said: "We've been fairly fortunate with some our leading ladies. Some of them have gone on to become major movie stars, going back to Nicole Kidman in a movie I did a long time ago called 'Days of Thunder' to Keira Knightley out of 'Pirates of the Caribbean.’ ”

Gyllenhaal stars as Prince Dastan in the fantasy adventure, whose quest is to prevent the magical Sands of Time from falling into the wrong hands.

Production is set to start in July in Morocco and England.

Before Gyllenhaal got the part, ‘High School Musical’ heartthrob Zac Efron and Orlando Bloom were rumoured for the role.

source

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 22 May 2008, 15:55

Shouldn't these characters be Persian?

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 22 May 2008, 16:32

Gyllenhaal is of Jewish decent, so it ain't that much of a stretch.

Audiences have accepted an Indian playing an Iraqi (Naveen Andrews of Lost), Chinese actresses playing Japanese characters (the leads of Memoirs of a Geisha), an Italian playing a Jew (Robert DeNiro in Casino and Once Upon a Time in America) a Maori and an Italian playing Latin Americans nationalities (Cliff Curtis and Robert Lasardo).

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 22 May 2008, 17:13

Being Jewish isn't a nationality though. Not that I think it matters in a Hollywood film when realism is rarely at the back of their minds.

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 22 May 2008, 17:26

What about an Austrian playing a Turk (Ahnoldt in 'Around the World in 80 Days')

classic.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 22 May 2008, 20:45

Yeah, but Gyllenhaal looks pretty white to me.

He ain't a semite.

And the pasty Gemma Arterton??

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 22 May 2008, 22:10

bradavon wrote:Being Jewish isn't a nationality though.

Nationality doesn't mean a thing to the current argument. I was talking about ethnic groups/races. To say that racial characteristics aren't shown in lineages of races that have been living in a different region of the world (where other ethnic groups maybe dominant) is ignorant.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 22 May 2008, 23:50

I'm assuming that he's of European-Jewish origin, which despite what many Jews like to think, is completely different from the Middle Eastern (semetic) Jews.

Think Billy Crystal vs Oded Fehr (The Mummy)

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 22 May 2008, 23:54

Plus even if he is European-Jewish origin, that was centuries ago so still utterly absurd.

Except skin colour there is nothing in the slightest bit the same between an African and African American, for instance.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 23 May 2008, 10:37

I thought the thing with the Prince of Persia was he is.. er, Persian (Iranian).
Gemma Arterton as Princess Farah.. what?

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 23 May 2008, 16:21

bradavon wrote:Except skin colour there is nothing in the slightest bit the same between an African and African American, for instance.

At least an Afro-American can visually appear to be Pure African, lol.

Gyllenhaal is as pasty as I am (Celtic).

Would you cast me as an Arab?

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 23 May 2008, 16:23

grim_tales wrote:I thought the thing with the Prince of Persia was he is.. er, Persian (Iranian).
Gemma Arterton as Princess Farah.. what?

It's commerically-dictated racism. Let's be honest.

How many Hollywood stories require Middle Eastern lead actors as heroes? And when one finally comes along they cast, erm, white people. Maybe if they were looking for a terrorist...?

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 23 May 2008, 16:48

Markgway wrote:Maybe if they were looking for a
terrorist...?

True. They'd never be white then.