Brontë - the film

A new film on the Brontës has been on the works for a while now. According to the director, Angela Workman, they're hoping for a "2006 shoot and release". And as of June 6, Angela Workman posted a Brontë update on the IMDb saying:

We are currently completing casting and putting the final pieces of this great big puzzle together (at Cannes and elsewhere), which can take longer than you hope, but we are very nearly there. Fantastic cast signing on, we think you'll all be pleased. Will post more when I can. Your casting ideas are inspired and getting closer to the mark...remember, too, that there are roles for Patrick, their Irish father; for Arthur Nicholls, the Irish curate who fell secretly in love with Charlotte; for Aunt Branwell, the crusty spinster aunt who raised the children; and for George Smith, the dashing publisher of 'Jane Eyre' for whom Charlotte developed a great crush.

By the looks of it, it seems they're "printing the legend".

Apparently the shooting location is unknown yet.

Although the full cast is not yet revealed ("we have assembled an all-star cast but cannot post names here until we get an official go-ahead" Angela Workman dixit), Lynn Collins has signed to do Charlotte's part. This is an extract from an interview in movies.about.com (the interview is from December 2004)

What’s up next for you?

I’m going to doing the next Merchant Ivory film in India , in January (2005). And that’s set in the 1980s so it’s a semi-period piece (laughing). And then I go to Ireland to shoot the life of Charlotte Bronte in a movie called “Bronte.” I’m excited. That’s another one that’s a period piece and I’m excited. Plus you know Charlotte was not considered a beautiful woman so we’re going to try to give me some funky teeth or something (laughing).

How’d you get hooked up with that script?

I had read it and heard it was around, and just told my agents and managers this is going to be the next thing. I had a very difficult year this year. I haven’t worked since [“Merchant of Venice”]. There have been offers that would come in but everybody, including my co-stars, have been, “You can not take anything that isn’t going to be right.” They felt like my performance in this film was going to be able to set me up for a certain kind of career, that I shouldn’t make any kind of bad steps at this time. So when I read it I just knew that this was the next one, or something that could at least follow in the right direction.

BrontëBlog readers may feel free to post their ideal cast in the comments!

Categories: Movies-DVD-TV