She went from the Bible to Stephanie Meyer and now she’s finally working with a great writer’s work. Having been dumped from the Twilight franchise, Catherine Hardwicke has selected her next film project: a modernized version of Hamlet starring her Lords of Dogtown star Emile Hirsch. And, of course, everyone has jokes that this umpteenth adaptation of the Shakespeare tragedy will be filled with vampires. But clearly Hardwicke is trying to get away from the series that left her behind. Instead of moving on to a more Twilight-related play like Romeo and Juliet or A Midsummer Night’s Dream, she has gone for the great Danish prince.
Of course, having already seen Hamlet updated to modern times, I would be happier if Hardwicke was making a high school-set version (this one will supposedly take place at a college), since my favorite contemporary takes are those adapted to teenage characters (see 10 Things I Hate About You, O and even She’s the Man). Maybe nobody wants to go there since Focus Features bombed so badly last year with the high school-set Hamlet 2.
I doubt many Twilight fans care about what Hardwicke does next — unless she casts Robert Pattinson as Horatio — but the film blogs think she should cater to their needs. Check out their responses to this news after the jump:
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Back in 9th-grade English class, Franco Zeffirelli was considered a hero. For teachers, he was the guy who made Shakespeare more accessible for kids by including nudity in his film of Romeo and Juliet. For students, well, he included nudity in movie that was required in-class viewing. Now the kids have Luhrman’s version of R&J to fawn over (despite its lack of boobies), but Zeffirelli is still tops for lazy students of Shakespeare, as his Hamlet, which stars Mel Gibson, is still likely the most accessible alternative to actually reading the play that high schoolers have.
Will Zeffirelli have the same luck with Pope Benedict XVI? Reuters reports the Italian filmmaker and affirmed Christian has offered to help with His Holiness’ public image — and I stress this is only at the proposal stage. But it is a proposal Zeffirelli hopes the Vatican takes seriously. He said:
Coming after a media-savvy pope like John Paul II is a difficult task … Benedict XVI still communicates coldly, in a way that is not suited with what is happening around him … It’s an issue I have been discussing with people who have key roles in the Vatican.
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