Tom Wilkinson and Bill Nighy Join 'Valkyrie'
Filed under: Drama, Casting, MGM, United Artists, Tom Cruise, War
I don't know what to think about Tom Cruise playing a German general, but at least he'll be well-supported in Bryan Singer's Valkyrie, which is about an unsuccessful assassination attempt on Hitler during WWII. Last week we learned that rising star Carice van Houten, who just so happens to be my new favorite actress, is on board, possibly as Cruise's character's wife. The only other confirmed member of the cast had been Kenneth Branagh, seemingly as much a fan of playing Nazi as he is of playing Shakespeare. Now we have an official announcement that two of my favorite actors, Tom Wilkinson and Bill Nighy, are also part of the ensemble. The pair was already listed on the IMDb as being "in negotiations" (as are Patrick Wilson and Stephen Fry still), but they have apparently finalized the deal and are now definitely involved.Wilkinson and Nighy are perfect for the project, because they fit in with Singer's cinematic interests. Like the director, both Wilkinson and Nighy have been able to do comic book or action or other franchise-type movies (Nighy more so) while still maintaining their respective reputations as serious artists. I think that Valkyrie will actually fall somewhere between the two extremes (too Hollywood to be amazing, but too serious to attract the masses), but aside from Cruise the acting talents will at least make the pic seem to be amazing (sure, it could even be amazing, but I'll remain a cynic until I see it). I could probably watch a ten hour film in which Wilkinson and Nighy simply talk about economics (surely their respective characters from Separate Lies and The Girl in the Café could be friends, no?). They are that interesting. I just can't believe this is the first time somebody thought to put them together in the same movie.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-02-2008 @ 3:26AM
A.L.C. said...
There are going to be films about everything and not necessarily bright ones, the same is going to be with actors and pretty much everything else, but we will always notice and support the ones that make a difference like British Actor Tom Wilkinson! Tom Wilkinson Aces!
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6-19-2007 @ 5:48PM
mseve68 said...
I haven't seen a Tom McCrazy movie in theaters since MI2 and have watched other films after that on DVD. Because has become one of my least favorite actors in recent years, I don't put his movies on my "must see" list anymore but because Branagh, Wilkinson and Nighy are in this film I will definitely go to the movie theater to see this one!
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6-19-2007 @ 7:19PM
lawlessheart said...
I could watch a ten hour film just looking at Wilkinson and Nighy, they don't have to say anything. Too bad about the Cruiser, but apart from that what a dream cast! And director!
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6-19-2007 @ 9:07PM
elessar said...
Hmm...no mention of the fact that Christopher mcQuarrie, screenwriter for the Usual Suspects, is doing the script for this? I'd imagine that would be a postive selling point. As for Tom, I dare anyone with doubts about his acting capacity needs to watch Born on the Fourth of July and come back and say he doen't have talent.
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6-19-2007 @ 10:55PM
tc fan said...
I agree. Some people just hate on him because they're already Scientology bashers. Of course, were their own beliefs ridiculed in the same manner, they would look just as asinine and ridiculous.
Born on the 4th was a phenomenal piece of acting by Cruise, as are most of his movies. Nothing can shake that.
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6-20-2007 @ 9:32AM
Dean M said...
Some people dispariage Cruise because if the cult he shills for does achieve its goal of replacing the current mental health system with one of their making, those people will lose everything. Including their lives.
The idea of Tom playing a man who tried to assassinate Adolf is so utterly asinine it makes one want to call Bryan at four in the morning and tell him we thought he was better than this. Considering how Cruise promotes a cult that is destroying Jett Travolta's life in spite of the fact that his father has the funds and time to do the exact opposite, I think Goebbels would be far more appropriate a role for him.
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6-20-2007 @ 10:25PM
hannah said...
I will see it for Tom Cruise only; I adore, he's a tremendous actor.
Damn the bashers.
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