Steve Coogan and Jim Broadbent Join Star Jackie Chan in Walden Media's Around the World in 80 Days
Hal Lieberman to produce adaptation of Jules Vernes' classic novelFebruary 27, 2003
NEW YORK - Comedian Steve Coogan (24 Hour Party People) and Academy Award winner Jim Broadbent (Iris, Moulin Rouge) have been cast as Phileas Fogg, an eccentric British inventor, and Lord Kelvin, enemy of progressive thinking, in the screen adaptation of Around the World in 80 Days, the classic novel by Jules Verne. Coogan and Broadbent join worldwide star Jackie Chan in Walden Media's feature-length project, which begins principal photography mid-March in Thailand and Berlin. Frank Coraci (The Wedding Singer, Waterboy) will direct. The film will be produced by Hal Lieberman (Terminator 3) and Bill Badalato (About Schmidt).
In this unique retelling, the focus of the film lies with Passepartout (Chan) who is trying to make it to China in order to restore a sacred object that was stolen from his village. He finds an ally in Phileas Fogg (Coogan,) who has just put his reputation and career as an inventor on the line in a daring bet to make it around the world in eighty days. Opposing both men is Lord Kelvin (Broadbent,) head of the Royal Academy of Science, who stands to lose his power and fortune should Passepartout and Fogg succeed, and will do anything to stop them.
"After his incredible performance in 24 Hour Party People we felt Coogan was ripe to breakout in the United States and we feel this is the film to do it," stated Joel Stillerman, head of film and television for Walden Media. "Pitting him against Jim Broadbent, an industry veteran and one of the world's finest actors, will be fascinating to watch. And, pairing them with Jackie Chan will be electric on the screen."
"Around the World in 80 Days is certainly one of the most ambitious and exciting projects I have ever been involved with. Jackie is an international superstar and it is quite appropriate that we will be traveling the world and visiting the most locations ever for a single film. We have a great team on the movie and I can't wait to get rolling," said Lieberman.
Jim Broadbent is represented by ICM and Steve Coogan is represented by William Morris Agency.
Walden Media recently announced a partnership with The Walt Disney Company who will release Ghosts of the Abyss, the large format 3-D James Cameron film on April 11, 2003, and Holes, the adaptation of Louis Sachar's Newbery Award-winning novel to be released on April 18, 2003, starring Sigourney Weaver, Jon Voight and Shia LaBeouf. Currently in post-production is I Am David, based on the acclaimed novel by Ann Holm, adapted and directed by Paul Feig, starring Joan Plowright and Jim Caviezel. The company is also making the first live-action film adaptations of C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia, beginning with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Alex Schwartz, senior vice president of production and Kisha Cameron, director of development at Walden Media will oversee Around the World in 80 Days for Walden. They report to Joel Stillerman at Walden.
