Gerard Butler Goes Shakespearean in 'Coriolanus'

This is a great project for Butler to do. Respectfully I would like to point out that Mr. Butler has been in two hits this year and one miss. As long as his films show a profit, Hollywood executives will hire him. There will be no silly talk of “movie star” probation coming from them. Elizabeth, your blogger friends need to understand they are not the deciders as to who is a successful movie star and who is not. They just have opinions and sometimes opinion not very well grounded in fact. The Ugly Truth may not have been great art, but it’s made around $160,000,000 world wide. Even PS I Love You has made around $156,000,000 world wide at the box office. Law Abiding Citizen is clearly a hit and will continue to make money at the box office. Although disliked by critics, (talk about being irrelevant!) the movie is in fact an excellent thriller and Butler is terrific in this movie. There is no need for a retrial, unless of course Clyde Shelton wants to have a talk with some of your blogger pals.
Butler’s career is in fine shape. It’s refreshing to see an actor who wants to work in different roles and I’m glad to see him take a risk with this Fiennes project.

Reply

_____WealthySocial.com_____ is the best and largest online personals site dedicated to men and women seeking a higher caliber online dating experience.
Our clients include CEOs, Professional Athletes, Doctors, Lawyers, Investors, Entrepreneurs, Beauty Queens, Fitness Models, and Hollywood Celebrities,
just to name a few .Everyone is welcome here. You don't have to be wealthy or famous.

Reply

Motion granted! (Like that's a shocker from me lol)

I'm very excited about this prospect, and I too hope that he will be playing Tullus Aufidius and that would seem to make the most sense. Frankly, the thought of Sheakespeare coming out of that mouth gives me shivers (in a very good way) and to see him do it opposite a gifted and classically trained actor like Fiennes is like Christmas covered in hot fudge.

If Julie Taymor can get her version of "Titus Andronicus" made (w/Anthony Hopkins- "Titus" 1999), then i have to believe Ralph Fiennes can get this done, especially with William Hurt and Vanessa Redgrave also involved.

What i really like is the symmetry. Butler's first big break was on the stage in London's West End in Steven Berkoff's version of "Coriolanus". I don't know what part he played, although it was probably "First Citizen", but i love the fact that he'll get a chance to do this on screen, and as the 2nd lead.

Reply

I believe the anus part :)

Reply

I'm EXTREMELY pleased to hear that Mr. Butler is abandoning Rom-Coms in favor of the Bard. Quite frankly, I find Rom-Coms insufferable and loathe the fact that Hollywood lives under the misconception that all women like such films. Gerard Butler has appeared in some of my favorite films,most notably the largely ignored (at least in the US) Guy Ritchie flick, "RocknRolla". He has a flare for not just abject violence and tough guy roles but a brilliant wit and sense of humor; something not lost when interpreting Shakespeare.

I hope to see this project come to fruition. Outstanding casting thus far not to mention the fact that Mr. Fiennes will be at the helm. While that could be daunting to a future investor, I say let it fly. Hollywood, as a whole, is stagnant and rife with pure crap. Why be afraid of quality?

Reply

"...it's Shakespeare! You know they're at least starting with a good story. If they mess it up from there, shame on them."

Couldn't agree more. And apparently he's just confirmed (http://www.aintitcool.com/node/42805) that he will, in fact, be playing Tullus Aufidius. YAY!

Reply

I've been a big fan of Butler's earlier work, and agree with the movie star probation bit. I don't care how much money his movies have made, I care that he's been picking projects seemingly on the basis of "ooh, that's a cool person to work with" or "now I can knock someone else off my 'wanna work with' list." After 300, the only movie I've liked was RocknRolla. Ugly Truth, Gamer and Law-Abiding Citizen (sorry, had to fix it) I can't even make myself go to see. These three make P.S. I Love You look like high art. (It was tolerable, but Ms Swank was miscast.) He needs a strong director to rein in his acting, as he's best on the most internal level of acting (e.g., Dear Frankie), keeping the bluster to a few key moments. I was just about ready to give up on him, but his probation now extends to Coriolanus. (And I'm still hoping he gets cast as Bard in The Hobbit.)

Reply

This is a magnificent cast, including the unknown Jessica Chastain. She's been doing Shakespeare for several yrs on stage and is Julliard trained. Really honestly from the standpoint of training and experience, I'm not certain why Butler was cast. I'm sure he'll work his butt off to make it seem as though he should be there and to do the best job he can.

I'm also sure he'll make a bee-line for Ms. Chastain who is about 12 yrs old and an attractive red-head w/a lot of teeth. She should arm herself.

I am a fan of Butler as an actor (but not his social life). I'm not a fan of Butler's latest role choices. I don't care how much money they've grossed. Hollywood needs to re-think their idea of a "hit." PS I Love U, The Ugly Truth, Gamer, and even Law Abiding Cit were poorly written and poorly executed (though LAC was better directed than the others). RocknRolla was terrific and he was good in it. I'd love to see more of that from him.

I think he needed to do work like this now, or perhaps stage work. Believe me nobody, most of all Butler, wants to be Steven Segal or Dolph Lundgren. He's an actor folks. Yes he loves the audiences & the money. But he also wants the critics to believe he can ACT. They no longer believe that. They're at a point when they do not remember "Dear Frankie" and most of them never saw "The Jury." He has his work cut out for him.

Reply

This is excellent news! While I've enjoyed Gerry's films over the last year or so, I've still felt he hadn't really found his groove since 300. I too loved RocknRolla and completely agree with Stacey's comments above, "He has a flare for not just abject violence and tough guy roles but a brilliant wit and sense of humor; something not lost when interpreting Shakespeare.. "

And I'm fed up with the Rom-Coms Hollywood is churning out too. I'm a woman and I love a good romance, and I believe good romantic comedies can be made, but the scripts of late...UGH! How I long for another Notting Hill or While You Were Sleeping...

Huzzah to the Butler! Bring on the Shakespeare. Well done!

Reply

Butler was ALREADY in Coriolanis early in his career onstage in London. Are you sure that this isn't just a mix of some mention of that previous work? Or are they really making a movie of the play?

Reply

But ... but ... what about BURNS?! If we're talking "bankability" "poets" AND "passion projects" why can't we get Burns rolling?! Oh, well. I'll take what I can get. Ralph and Gerard make a fine manwich. No complaints.

Reply