Fassbender = Cuchulainn

spankmaster2000

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118050444.html?cmpid=RSS|News|LatestNews

Cuchulainn / Ulster Cycle film on the way apparently.

Good news, or bad?

(I'm excited for it anyway!)

Patser

Have always wanted to see a Cuchulainn based film (or Brian Boru), hopefully based on the Morgan Llewyllyn books, but it's funny to see it's being financed by Finn McCool:D

Otacon

I always thought that if the Cuchulann story would make a good movie(s). Fassbender's involvement could only help it.

Skinfull

Finally a movie where he wont have to change his accent!

This could be really good. I'd love to see an adaptation of the Cuchulainn story, as long as it is done right and not cheesy.

spankmaster2000

I wonder will they make an "Irish Braveheart", or will it be a full-blown off the wall fantasy film?

Syferus

Skinfull wrote: »

Finally a movie where he wont have to change his accent!

This could be really good. I'd love to see an adaptation of the Cuchulainn story, as long as it is done right and not cheesy.

Well, given he's a Kerry lad and this is the Ulster Cycle, I'm pretty sure he'll have to!

It'll certainly be interesting to see the Ulster Cycle turned into a blockbuster, we all grew up with these stories and have a soft spot for them. I only passed Rathcroghan on Saturday, the stories still resonate but it'll be about translating them so that international audiences understand them with having to rip the heart of them out.

CdeP

spankmaster2000 wrote: »

I wonder will they make an "Irish Braveheart", or will it be a full-blown off the wall fantasy film?

Is wonder is this the film the Variety article is referring too. If so, I get the feeling the film will be more like 300 than Braveheart.

I can't imagine Fassbender would attach himself to anything other than quality so hopefully the film will do justice to our wonderful mythology.

mikhail

This could be epic. What is the cattle raid of Cooley only an Irish equivalent of the battle of Thermopylae?

Skinfull

Syferus wrote:

Well, given he's a Kerry lad and this is the Ulster Cycle, I'm pretty sure he'll have to!

I'm not sure that will matter. Generic irish accent will win out. Wont matter on the larger international scale.

CdeP wrote: »

I can't imagine Fassbender would attach himself to anything other than quality so hopefully the film will do justice to our wonderful mythology.

You must have missed Haywire.

Otacon

Skinfull wrote: »

You must have missed Haywire.

With that cast and that director, he, like I, could not have seen how rubbish it would being!

Galvasean

So long as we get to see Cuchulainn kick seven shades of shyte out of everything!

Sindri

Wow, I'm really excited about this. A quality actor with a quality story. I hope it turns out well.

Morag

He'd be a bit old for the part surely.

JP Liz V1

Wasnt Mark Mahon trying to get Leonardo di Caprio to play hero Cuchulainn orBrian Boru in a film at some stage?

Vokes

spankmaster2000 wrote: »

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118050444.html?cmpid=RSS|News|LatestNews

Cuchulainn / Ulster Cycle film on the way apparently.

Good news, or bad?

(I'm excited for it anyway!)

Variety article says Fassbender is from Northern Ireland ?

He'd be too old to play a teenage Cuculainn surely? Agreed though, a 300-sort've adaption would be the way to do it reckon.

pinkypinky

His mother is from NI but he was raised in Kerry.

Surely they'd get a kid to play the Setanta parts?

podgemonster

Vokes wrote: »

Agreed though, a 300-sort've adaption would be the way to do it reckon.

That would be the way to go. Although the slaying for Culainns Hound would be almost identical to when the young Leonidus slayed the wolf while becoming a man in 300.

A ridiculously monstrous Brown Bull of Cooley would look cool. I think Guinness had a marketing campaign a few years back for the GAA Championship with Cuchalainn facing the Bull armed only with his Hurley.

Mickeroo

I'd rather not have another lousy 300 clone like Immortals. Real locations with proper practical FX work thank you very much. They should be aiming for something somewhere between LOTR and Conan the Barbarian with less of the respective melodrama and silliness.

Even better than that would be a film thats unique in its own right and plays to the strengths of the source!

JP Liz V1

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Wasnt Mark Mahon trying to get Leonardo di Caprio to play hero Cuchulainn orBrian Boru in a film at some stage?

That was never going to be anything other than wishful thinking on his part. Strength and Honour was not a successful film and was savaged by critics bother here and in the US. Last I heard he was trying to raise 20 million to do a sequel set in L.A. called Strength and Honour L.A.

Mickeroo

Deleted User wrote: »

That was never going to be anything other than wishful thinking on his part. Strength and Honour was not a successful film and was savaged by critics bother here and in the US. Last I heard he was trying to raise 20 million to do a sequel set in L.A. called Strength and Honour L.A.

According to IMDB its in pre-production and will be coming out sometime this year. Although I'm not sure how reliable that is.

Kess73

Skinfull wrote: »

I'm not sure that will matter. Generic irish accent will win out. Wont matter on the larger international scale.




You must have missed Haywire.

Must have missed Jonah Hex as well, although I have a soft spot for that film thanks to the performances of Brolin and Fassbender.

Mickeroo

Mickeroo wrote: »

According to IMDB its in pre-production and will be coming out sometime this year. Although I'm not sure how reliable that is.

Ignore imdb and thier listings for upcoming films. They also say that the budget is 20 million and while he was suposed to be looking for that amount I doubt he'll get anything near that. No ones going to give that much for the sequel to a film that made less than half a million worldwide during it's theatrical life. Don't get me wrong I do hope he raises the money he needs to make his film, I know how hard it can be to get backers but if the filmis made it'll be on a much more modest budget.

mikhail

Mickeroo wrote: »

I'd rather not have another lousy 300 clone like Immortals. Real locations with proper practical FX work thank you very much. They should be aiming for something somewhere between LOTR and Conan the Barbarian with less of the respective melodrama and silliness.

Even better than that would be a film thats unique in its own right and plays to the strengths of the source!

Sure, we should stick strictly to realism in a story about a guy who took on an army by himself (before the invention of the sniper rifle), has a hulk-life ability to go berserk/invincible and required a spell and a magical spear to kill. And we should certainly avoid melodrama like him being forced to kill his childhood friend, or silliness like him wounding a guy after he died.

Mickeroo

mikhail wrote: »

Sure, we should stick strictly to realism in a story about a guy who took on an army by himself (before the invention of the sniper rifle), has a hulk-life ability to go berserk/invincible and required a spell and a magical spear to kill. And we should certainly avoid melodrama like him being forced to kill his childhood friend, or silliness like him wounding a guy after he died.

What you talking about willis? Realism? I mention LOTR and CONAN THE BARBARIAN (I'd actually throw a sprinkling of highlander in there too) and you think I want realism? You could easily have him kill his brother and tone down the melodrama in comparison to LOTR levels.

chprt

Thinked he nailed the accent in hunger so nordie accents wont be too tough for him.

paddy

Syferus

Skinfull wrote: »

I'm not sure that will matter. Generic irish accent will win out. Wont matter on the larger international scale.

It would be utterly ridiculous and a fast way to tell the lack of quality in the adaptation if Fassbender (who flawlessly played Bobby Sands) starts spouting a Kerry accent in the trailer. It's called the Ulster Cycle for a reason.

pickarooney

I doubt very much Cuchulainn had a modern-day Belfast brogue.

podgemonster

Mickeroo wrote: »

What you talking about willis? Realism? I mention LOTR and CONAN THE BARBARIAN (I'd actually throw a sprinkling of highlander in there too) and you think I want realism? You could easily have him kill his brother and tone down the melodrama in comparison to LOTR levels.

The myth and fantasy around Cuchalainn surely surpaces the likes of Conan and highlander. The guy became a physical monster in battle...

"The first warp-spasm seized Cúchulainn, and made him into a monstrous thing, hideous and shapeless, unheard of. His shanks and his joints, every knuckle and angle and organ from head to foot, shook like a tree in the flood or a reed in the stream. His body made a furious twist inside his skin, so that his feet and shins switched to the rear and his heels and calves switched to the front... On his head the temple-sinews stretched to the nape of his neck, each mighty, immense, measureless knob as big as the head of a month-old child... he sucked one eye so deep into his head that a wild crane couldn't probe it onto his cheek out of the depths of his skull; the other eye fell out along his cheek. His mouth weirdly distorted: his cheek peeled back from his jaws until the gullet appeared, his lungs and his liver flapped in his mouth and throat, his lower jaw struck the upper a lion-killing blow, and fiery flakes large as a ram's fleece reached his mouth from his throat... The hair of his head twisted like the tange of a red thornbush stuck in a gap; if a royal apple tree with all its kingly fruit were shaken above him, scarce an apple would reach the ground but each would be spiked on a bristle of his hair as it stood up on his scalp with rage."

I'd say Cuchullain would have made Conan the Barbarian his bítch with that kind of power. I think the makers have two roads to take: Protray him as a somewhat realsitic invincible warrior like Achilles or Conan, or go completely off the wall fantasy film with mythilogicol creatures and morphing warriors.

I think he also killed his son by mistake, can't get more melodramatic that that.

Skinfull

Syferus wrote: »

It would be utterly ridiculous and a fast way to tell the lack of quality in the adaptation if Fassbender (who flawlessly played Bobby Sands) starts spouting a Kerry accent in the trailer. It's called the Ulster Cycle for a reason.

Yeah his bobby sands was good but in movies where he has had to portray an english or american accent he always ends up slipping in and out and it gets annoying, point in case his Magneto! But if he is playing a nordie accent, which by all accounts here is half his birthright, then it will be more relaxed and natural for him and we might not get any slippage.

But what I meant was that they wont expect a specific dialect, especially harsh nordie, which can be near indecipherable, and will go for a softer, irish brogue with nordy hints.

Wow... thats a lot of bull crap about which accent he will play. i for one am very excited and hope for less 300 but not quite LOTR. There has gotta be a happy medium!

kumate_champ07

The Brian Boru movie was supposed to be happening 6years ago. Heard Mel Gibson wants to do a big Viking movie, not sure if it will be shot in Ireland. Another king arthur scale movie would be great for the industry here, pity that was ****e, training day was such a great movie(same director), think the director wasnt allowed make the movie he wanted to.

Mickeroo

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

The Brian Boru movie was supposed to be happening 6years ago. Heard Mel Gibson wants to do a big Viking movie, not sure if it will be shot in Ireland. Another king arthur scale movie would be great for the industry here, pity that was ****e, training day was such a great movie(same director), think the director wasnt allowed make the movie he wanted to.

King Arthur was remake of Tears of the Sun which was also by the same director. And both of them are pretty much Seven Samurai remakes.

It needs a trilogy imho.

dr gonzo

This is great news altogether. Ireland could really use a bit of a national boost and this could do the job, as ridiculous as that sounds. Another, less obvious, benefit to this film is, due to its Iron age setting, it will really highlight the Irish landscape, particularly in relation to the archaeological landscape. In other words monuments, such as the Iron age ringfort, might take on a new life, a new importance in the eyes of the public which would be beyond fantastic.

The idea of seeing Irish myth on this scale in indescribably exciting. I hope it goes ahead and I hope it will be good...

libra02

Sounds like it has the potential to be a great film and as other poster's have pointed out it be a good boost to the Irish Film industry - if they do decided to come here to shoot it - Scotland in particular has the same landscape so both could be potentially used.

If it does get off the ground and full go ahead be interesting to see what elements of the story they will include - will they include his marraige to Emer ( lets hope if she is included they get a decent Irish actress to play the part ), the killing of his son.

willonzo

It kind of bugs me when people complain about accents in films set far in the past, like Russell Crowe in the recent Robin Hood movie. Admittedly, he did sound a bit all over the place in that, but how are we supposed to know what Robin Hood should have sounded like? It was eight or nine hundred years ago and there are no recordings (that I know of).
Accents are not set in stone for all eternity, they tend to vary quite a bit even from generation to generation. For example, my accent is quite a bit different from those of my parents, even though I grew up in the same area as they did. This is due to influx of new people into the area and other factors such as TV, etc. I’m pretty sure the people up north speak the way they do these days due to the influence of the Scottish settlers introduced into the area from the 16th century onwards (but happy to be corrected if that’s wrong). So no need for Cuchulainn to sound like Gerry Adams then.

Zubeneschamali

willonzo wrote: »

So no need for Cuchulainn to sound like Gerry Adams then.

The main problem with accents in movies is when they slip. When Fassbender has been doing a German Magneto speaking English for most of the movie and then is suddenly Irish on the beach in the finale, it jars.

JP Liz V1

Source

It is reported that an €80m biopic of Irish king Brian Boru will be made in Ireland next year.
The Irish Independent describes Boru as "the biggest movie ever made on Irish shores" and says details of the production will be officially announced in the coming weeks.
The film will be directed and produced by its writer, Mark Mahon from Cork.
It is based on the new graphic novel Freedom within the Heart.
Mahon said of the story: "At the time, the country was being pillaged and destroyed, and it took one man with a vision – ultimately that's all it does take. It's a good comparison to what's happening today. And I believe if you look at our history we are a nation of people who will overcome."
The paper says that "epic battle scenes" will be filmed at a number of locations, including the Cliffs of Moher.
"We have a couple of big names in mind for the lead but we do plan on using as much big Irish talent as possible for the main characters," added Mahon.

Looks like Mahon is getting to make his movie

krudler

Will believe it when I see it tbh, they've been talking about this for years, they could really do with making more use of this country as a location to fantasy stuff, I know Game of Thrones is shot here but thats up North so doesnt really count, there's some unreal scenery in this country.

missingtime

krudler wrote: »

Will believe it when I see it tbh, they've been talking about this for years, they could really do with making more use of this country as a location to fantasy stuff, I know Game of Thrones is shot here but thats up North so doesnt really count, there's some unreal scenery in this country.

Isn't supposed to be quite expensive to film here?

Outkast_IRE

missingtime wrote: »

Isn't supposed to be quite expensive to film here?

These days, unless your one of the very top directors, the accountants will get the most say in where you can film, they will be looking for major tax breaks or grants etc before they consider you as a location. Yes filming here is an expensive task but its doable, its just other countries are far more aggressive in giving these tax breaks etc to just get them in the door.

krudler

missingtime wrote: »

Isn't supposed to be quite expensive to film here?

It is, but whoever looks after the tax break side of it should see how much a big production can do for a countries economy, look at New Zealand and the boost it got from the LOTR movies.

ScumLord

spankmaster2000 wrote: »

I wonder will they make an "Irish Braveheart", or will it be a full-blown off the wall fantasy film?

Full blown off the wall fantasy would probably suit it more as the legend of Cuchulainn is fantasy to begin with.

He would be from a time (as would Boru) when magic was considered a very real thing and Irish would have been notorious for their powerful magic.

Say Your Number

Cruachan should write the soundtrack

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALyTuHmpgNc

No one is giving Mark Mahon 80 million to make a film on Brian Boru. He's made one film to date, the decidedly average Strength and Honour and has spent the years since trying to raise financing for Strength and Honour LA, which no one seems interested in financing. No producer is going to invest 80 million on a film with such limited box office appeal, especially when it's in the hands of nobody director.

Ipso

The bit about filming at The Cliffs of Moher seem a bit begorah to me.
Also isn't the Brian Bori story more complicated than him vs vikingsas there werevarious viking factions fighting each other?

ScumLord

Ipso wrote: »

The bit about filming at The Cliffs of Moher seem a bit begorah to me.
Also isn't the Brian Bori story more complicated than him vs vikingsas there werevarious viking factions fighting each other?

Brian would more than likely have Vikings fighting under him too, they were basically mercenaries. He would have spent a lot of his time fighting other Irish Kings.