Pattinson, Kidman board Bel Ami for Protagonist
In an intriguing star pairing, Twilight sensation Robert Pattinson is teaming with Nicole Kidman to star in Bel Ami, the film of Guy De Maupassant’s erotically charged story of ambition, power and seduction.
Multi-award winning UK theatre directors Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod are directing from a screenplay by Rachel Bennette.
London-based Protagonist has taken on international sales to the film.
Uberto Pasolini (The Full Monty) will produce, with Simon Fuller of 19 Entertainment acting as executive producer.The film will shoot in London and Budapest from February 2010.
Donnellan and Ormerod, whose Cheek By Jowl is widely regarded as one of the most influential theatre companies in the world, will make their feature debut with this story about a young man’s rise to the top of Parisian high society in the 1890s, via the beds of the city’s most glamorous and influential women.
In a world where politics and media jostle for influence, where sex is power and celebrity an obsession, the film has, say the producers, a contemporary relevance which should resonate with audiences worldwide.
Bel Ami is a Redwave Films production in association with 19 Entertainment, Protagonist Pictures and RaiCinema. RAI has Italian rights. All other territories will be sold by Protagonist, which has already commenced pre-sales on the film.
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Readers' comments (16)
Anonymous | 4-Nov-2009 7:05 am
I am a huge fan of Cheek By Jowl and an even bigger fan of Rob Pattinson. Donnellan and Rob working together is a dream come true and he'll learn so much from the experience. The script is excellent and I know they'll do justice to the book. I hope they get some quality british actresses on board like Andrea Riseborough. I must admit I could do without Kidman but you cant win on everything. All I ask is that they dont stick a ridiculous moustache on Rob.
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Anonymous | 4-Nov-2009 7:10 am
I am so happy for Rob. Its actually being made. Fans have been fretting over this for ages. I could cry with happines.
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Holly Oats | 4-Nov-2009 7:10 am
Yes please no moustache.
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Anonymous | 4-Nov-2009 7:21 am
I am beyond excited. I'm jumping up and down on my chair like an idiot. Thank you thank you for this news. Rob is going to be awesome in this. George Duroy is going to rock. I agree no moustache please. I dont care what the book says. All the reviewers on Little Ashes picked and picked at Rpb's moustache in the film. Fans cant take any more of that nonsense.
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Anonymous | 4-Nov-2009 7:23 am
Rob working with the Cheek By Jowl guys is all I could ask for. I am so happy right now. Please Declon video all you can so we get lots of extras on the DVD in time. I want to know every little morsel about how you work with Rob.
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Anonymous | 4-Nov-2009 7:34 am
Id love to see marie coulthard in this film with Rob.
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Roland Szarvák | 4-Nov-2009 8:52 am
This'll be great! And they'll come to Hungary. OMG, OMG :D The best thing in this morning, or in this week. OMG :D And from 7th November we cen buy the tickets to New Moon premier. the best week in my life ever :D:D:D
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Anonymous | 4-Nov-2009 9:05 am
Youve made my day screendaily. Rob is a perfect choice for Georges. I love the script. Shame the duel didnt make it in though.
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Anonymous | 4-Nov-2009 9:06 am
Can I add my vote to NO to the Moustache.
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Anonymous | 4-Nov-2009 9:11 am
I hope they pick an amazing cinematographer. Rob's working with the astounding John Toll on Unbound Captives. His work on The Thin red Line was superb.
Stuart Dryburgh who filmed The Painted Veil did an amazing job on that film. I'd love him to work on Bel Ami.
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Anonymous | 4-Nov-2009 9:13 am
Colleen Atwood would be perfect for the costume designs.
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Denitsa Sharkova | 4-Nov-2009 9:58 am
Is the "shooting in London" part true?
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Anonymous | 4-Nov-2009 11:27 am
Rob is handling his career well. Now all he needs is one more blockbuster like Young blood with Bret Ratner in the pipeline.
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Frances Willington | 4-Nov-2009 11:30 am
Gosh, it's taken Movieland USA and International, a long time to discover one of the world's greatest writers. I sometimes wonder if any of them acutually sit down and read a classic author...it appears one of them finally has. I wonder if Bollywood will now attack another of the great classic Frnech authors, Emile Zola, with multintudiness song and dance, they mad esuch a wonderful start with our ane Austen, why should the French be spared. Ding dong.....
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Anonymous | 4-Nov-2009 2:43 pm
Bel Ami is a masterpiece and I am very excited that Pattinson will be playing the lead. A match most certainly made in heaven. Its a very sexy script and seeing Pattinson play out those scenes is already getting me all excited. I hope the producers realise that they need to spend some money on advertising. You still need to lead a horse to water. Get pattinson fans involved with interviews on set etc. Dont take the fanbase for granted.
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Anonymous | 4-Nov-2009 10:32 pm
Gutted that you made this up screendaily. Gossip cop have confirmed that Kidman is not part of this film.
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