I’m not sure how interesting this is, but I thought it was noteworthy that Tom Hiddleston got a job. Plus, you guys seem to love all things Tommy, so I know enough to bring you a nice dose of Hiddles every now and then. So, Tommy got a job! A new project has been announced, and it looks like Tommy will be playing the lead…? That can’t be right. While Tom is definitely famous, he’s yet to translate his fan-boy and fan-girl Loki-specific love into substantive film roles beyond Marvel. I actually worry about Tommy sometimes until I remember that he’s a good-looking white dude and he’ll always be able to find work.
As for this new film, it’s called High Rise, and it’s based on the JG Ballard novel of the same name. It’s like a thriller/dystopia film.
Tom Hiddleston will star in the film adaptation of J.G. Ballard’s novel High Rise, which begins filming in June. Kill List director Ben Wheatley recently signed on to direct the High Rise adaptation, which has reportedly been sitting on the backburner for quite a while attempting to be made.
The novel was written by J.G. Ballard in 1975 and the script will be adapted by Amy Jump. Jump has partnered with Wheatley multiple times, including his most recent film Kill List.
High Rise takes place “in a tower block, which is supposed to be a gleaming new, exciting and exotic home for its affluent residents, but ends up isolating and factionalizing them into all-out war, with the surface sophistication degenerating to primal savagery.”
Collider reports that Wheatley announced via Twitter that the film’s production will start this June and also revealed that Thor: The Dark World actor Tom Hiddleston has been cast in the starring role.
Wheatley discussed the style of the film saying, “We’ve gone back and Amy’s written a script that’s very close to the book. It’s set in 1975… it’s going to look like the 70s. It’s going to be very styled in that way. We’re looking at the Ridley Scott adverts of that period. It’s going to be modern in a way that the 70s looked.”
It sounds like Lord of the Flies for the 1%. It also sounds sort of like a Stephen King story? Am I imagining that or did King do a version of this story too? Anyway, Wheatley also tweeted out the first poster art for the film, done by artist Jay Shaw. I’m including that below. Unfortunately, it’s not a poster of Tommy shirtless, holding a rose between his teeth. THAT would have been a great poster. Someone needs to a write a screenplay where THAT could be the poster. Anyway, Tommy playing an elitist who resorts to savagery within a fancy apartment building? Sure. Why not?
Photos courtesy of WENN, Twitter.
YAY!
YAAAY!
Yay! How refreshing to have an original and fresh Science Fiction movie to look forward to!!!
High Rise is one of the very few Science Fiction classics I haven’t read yet. I hope the movie’s great; Lord knows we hard Sci Fi fans are sick of comic books and their endless big budget, special effects laden sequels.
*rushes to place it on “Hold” at my local library*
Nay. I just don’t get his appeal. But that’s just me!
Kind of sounds like the Judge Dredd remake ( which was actually good but a massive flop). No studio involved so let’s see if it actually gets made. Not playing Loki is a good start.
the great jeremy thomas’ involvement as a producer is a good sign it will get made. he’s produced some of the best indie movies of all time, a regular producer of cronenberg and bertolucci.
judge dredd was great. the best “comic book” movie in ages. i don’t understand why it wasn’t more successful.
I think it’s FilmFour financed and I think Hanway are the distributer. FilmFour have funded some pretty successful British independent movies. I think/hope it goes ahead.
yea I as thinking Judge Dredd, The Raid, and Snow Piercer.
Nope, Mia4S.
Judge Dredd was based on a comic book. High Rise is based on a Classic Science Fiction novel that’s on a lot of critic’s lists. BIG difference.
I wonder when he’s going to start filiming Crimsom Peak? Del Torror said it’s going to be a R-rated movie and it’s kinda violent and kinky. Sounds good to me.
About CrimsonPeak, Jim Beaver has been posting info.
All the cast is already in Toronto, Tom is the only one missing, he’ll likely leave for Canada as soon as he is finished with Coriolanus.
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10153912283695495&id=254377915494
The mildest of spoilers follows:
———————————————————–
I haven’t gotten around to reading this book, but apparently its first line is, “Later, as he sat on his balcony eating the dog, Dr. Robert Laing reflected on the unusual events that had taken place within this huge apartment building during the previous three months.” That’s Tom’s character. I’m going to have a hard time picturing him eating a puppy rather than playing with a basket full of them.
In any case, the producer on this has made tons of good movies and it sounds like the director is very indie but well-regarded. I think this will end up being pretty interesting, but I’m admittedly a sucker for dark science fiction.
OOOOOH DEAR. Not the puppy!!!
Now, lets see how Tom can make puppy-eating Shakespearean…
You know there’s no way we’re getting out of this without at least one Shakespeare reference! High odds of a Loki comparison as well, with a possibility of some Greek mythological references.
(I’d suggest this as a drinking game, but I don’t want anyone to get alcohol poisoning.)
“Well, it’s a bacchanalian orgy of blood, to be sure. And though I might be eating a puppy in the opening scene, there is a historical precedent for that deeply rooted in Greek Mythology. And Dr. Laing only seems evil on the surface, but he actually has a mischievous, but vulnerable, streak. He really just wants to be loved. Why yes, I did pull some of my character from my Shakespearean research for ‘Loki’, as well as certain K-Pop songs. I love dancing to K-Pop….want to see??”
Did I cover everything? 😉
Ummm Tom are you the one pretending to be Shannon all this time? Wow and ‘she’ (or you) has some incredibly insightful comments here on CB.
ETA: Are you sure outing yourself is smart????
😉
Shannon, that’s just evil! If I had as many shots as that response requires, I’d probably think it was a good idea to dance to K-Pop too! (You do not want to see me dance to K-Pop, trust me, and my coworkers would be even less amused by the performance).
Producer did OLLA with him and I read somewhere Film4 are onboard with the funding. Should be good.
Only worrying thing is the description of the apartment complex sounds exactly like where I’m living at the moment. And they eat dog here already. If you guys don’t hear from me…
Why? You aren’t a dog are you?
As Scooby Doo would say… Ruh Roh…
🙂
Lol, not a dog last time I looked but my apartment complex is massive – probably about 100 flats in total and has a swimming pool etc. Read the first page of the book. It could be where I’m living. And I’m currently in Vietnam, so loads of dog will have been eaten as Tet (Lunar new year) has just been celebrated. 🙁
Meant to type 1,000. Doh! Early morning – no coffee yet.
I havent read the book but I’ve read about the book, and it’s supposed to be one of the classics of the dystopian genre. So yay for quality source material. The rest? We shall see…
Um…..we’re going to need to talk about the new Chris pics Anna. He got a new haircut, it’s short on the sides and longer in the middle now. I’m into Anna, I’m REALLY into it. Damit!!!
No idea what you’re talking about – did a search and NADA. Now I dont know if I should be scared or excited with anticipation….
The book is A1-fandabbydozy, Anna. But I am a fully paid up Ballard fangirl, so I would say that, wouldn’t I?!
the book is brilliant. fully recommend it, or any ballard novels for that matter.
I haven’t read it either, just looked it up on GoodReads to get a little more information, but it sounds like Celebitchy readers certainly like it. As people around here tend to have pretty good taste, I’m inclined to check it out.
“As people around here tend to have pretty good taste, I’m inclined to check it out.” – lunchcoma
Me too! Thanks, Celebreaders!
This sounds like an interesting story! I’m definitely gonna see it when it comes out.
No idea what a film adaptation of this will be like but I read the book for a college Sociology class and it was excellent. Creepy, frightening, disturbing, and violent. A complete societal breakdown on a microcosmic scale. I am very curious to see how it will translate to film. And Hiddleston does seem like a good casting choice for the lead.
it’s a brilliant book. i’m so excited to see it made into a film. i pictured laing as a bit older but i think hiddleston’s a good choice.
EDIT – posted to wrong place.
How would you compare it to Lord of the Flies then?
(Hope you’ve read that but many Americans had to read it for school and it does sound similar)
LadySlippers, as Sixer says, it is definitely nastier than Lord of the Flies. There are similarities but the tone is a lot darker and because the characters in High Rise are adults, what they do ends up being way more disturbing.
Some of the other comments in this thread have referenced the eating of dogs when food gets scarce. That is FAR from the most unsettling thing that happens, believe me. It’s not pretty.
@Janeite:
Thanks for responding! I kinda wondered but no one came out and said (at least not when I went through the comments) explicitly that this was more disturbing than LotF.
That’s exactly the feedback I was looking for. Now I gotta decide if I want to be disturbed on that kind of level….
it’s harsher than lord of the flies. the characters of high rise are all adults – venal, selfish, brutal people – who not only do horrible things to survive, but revel in them. i don’t think there’s a sympathetic character in there, and in lots of ways the “hero” is one of the creepiest. it’s a horrible book, but totally compelling.
Far more disturbing than Lord of the Flies. Not only are these adults, but they are educated, professional adults who are affluent enough to buy their way into a luxury complex. In short, the sort of people who society admires and tells us to strive to be. And they aren’t trapped there. They can leave when the problems start but choose not to do so.
@sputnik & @lilacflowers:
Thank you both for taking the time to answer. I’m right on the fence about reading it as I’m not as nuts about the type of story. However, that isn’t to say I don’t read out of my comfort zone, I do. But as LunchComa has said, I’ve gotten a few wonderful suggestions here and am glad I tried out something new.
@LadySlippers, if you are a fast reader, it is a relatively quick read.
This is actually an odd place to bring this up, LadySlippers, but you mentioned To Marry an English Lord in passing on one of the royals threads (where I don’t usually comment because I don’t usually have much to say). I glanced at it in the Nook store out of curiosity, saw it was on sale, and ended up downloading it and enjoying learning about some social history I’d only encountered in Edith Wharton novels. Reading about the factual basis for some of them was interesting. So, thanks for the (unintentional) book recommendation!
@lilacflowers: I am a fast reader. So you’re saying the torture isn’t super long? (Hehe)
@LunchComa: I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It really paints a much different moral picture than we think and that’s why I think it’s a must read for any Royal watcher.
It’s nastier than Lord of the Flies. Ballard could never be accused of a positive outlook.
Oh my.
Ok. Imagine a cross between LOTF and American Psycho (if AS was as good as its hype) and you’re there.
Sixer, I still say. Oh my.
Oh dear. I hated American Psycho (both book and movie). It was certainly thought-provoking though…
It depends where you’re coming from. From my point of view, this is great. I love Ballard. Ben Wheatley, who’s making it, is absolutely great. I like this type of artsy film and I like actors I like to make them. From a Hollywood/film star point of view, it’s less great. This is a C4/Hanway jobbie, so the budget for the entire thing will be miniscule (well under £1m) and I doubt it will get a massive cinema release, even this side of the pond. For Tom, it’s good quality work but nothing that would advance any film star ambitions he has.
Do we sniff a whiff of Gatiss in this? Wheatley’s involved in the next series of Doctor Who, I believe.
PS: What you said about always finding work: I have doubts about Tommy’s longevity. Fine skin, fine features, dodgy hairline. I don’t think he’ll age well. He needs to bulk that fairly thin CV of his as much as poss as quickly as poss, so overall, good role here. Especially for the likes of me who dislikes rom-coms, action films, superhero films, etc.
The first 2 episodes I believe.
Seems like playing Loki is the only mainstream film he is featured in. Laugh at Chris Hemsworth for not being as popular on the internet but he keeps getting more big film roles aside from Thor.
Hemsworth is built more as the stereotypical hero type though isn’t he? But I don;t believe he would have the same acting range as Tom.
+1 Any work is good. This is another Indie film and nothing wrong with that. It’s better for any actor to work and hone their talents. Some of the articles note that the producers will be shopping around for distributors and it’s not big budget so it mostly likely will not get a wide release. I agree that Hiddleston should work as hard as he can while he’s hot. He is aging more quickly than his peers.
When has aging ever hurt a talented man’s career? Tom has the acting ability to back up a handsome face so he could be balder than Ed Harris and still be going strong. Sadly, if he were an aging actress, he’d be SOL.
@sixer where did you get a figure of less than $1m from. That wouldn’t cover the coffee and muffin budget. LOL. ALthough Ben Wheatley’s Field in England was on a camcorder and a shoestring. I don’t think this one will. It will have large cast, and a stylised 1970s set.
FilmFour are not the only investors in this film, i think it’s budget will be higher. OLLA was a £7m budget and it’s the same production team, and will probably film the same length of time over a two month filming period. I’d expect similar investment costs.
And Filmfour movies have made impacts in Hollywood cinema distribution, from Slumdog Millionaire to 12 years a slave. And have gone along way to launching director’s like Danny Boyle.
Sixer, many actors advance film star ambitions by working in smaller, independent films. Looking back over the Oscar winners for the past two decades, a good number of them came from smaller films, not large budget, studio films. Depp worked in small films for most of his career, barring the occasional Burton flick, until he broke wide with Pirates of the Caribbean.
Put it this way: he spent just about all of 2013 going to the opening of an envelope with really no huge announcements other than him taking over the role in Crimson from Cumberbacth. The only work he did was Coriolanus. Now, it is early 2014 and he will start Crimson’s Peak in a few weeks then go right into this film. And there is still time for him to fit in another project late in 2014. So any work is good work IMO.
he filmed that short Out of Darkness and the little Jaguar ad. They just didn’t come out til recently. He also did some extra shots for Thor 2. So he technically did “work” last year :p I think he was preparing for that Capa film (dying his hair in the summer) but it didn’t work out sadly.
But with the Capa film there was already another in production with Mann (I believe) behind the camera so to have dueling movies would not have been good.
True. I wonder what’s going on with Mann’s version. Last I looked it was in development. I wished the Capa film did work out. I wanted to see Hiddleston and Atwell in a film together.
Out of Darkness was a days work in the middle of the Thor shoot (Exhibition was made at that time as well). He had hardly any film work for the first 6 months of 2013, only that Pirate Fairy film and the Muppet cameo, after that is released he won’t have any films coming out until Crimson Peak in 2015. The Capa film was due to start filming the end of June and was pulled at the last minute. I don’t know where some fans have got the idea he had a busy 2013, the last half of it with the Thor promo a and Coriolanus, but not for making films.
@M.A.F he finished Thor 2 Jan 2013 – he did charity stuff and he hit the festival market in spring to promote OLLA. The guy still needs to network to get work. He won two awards MTV and South Bank Show in Spring. He did turn out for a lot of film stuff, but they fit with what he was doing – he is building a career, sitting on arse at home wont achieve anything.
By late Spring he had two roles for 2013 sorted, he went on record saying he cleared his schedule for theatre. stuff doesnt slot in perfect months, when he wants.
Mann’s Capa is in development hell and going no where.
Loads of Capa discussion already been done.
@”p”enny-he still didn’t film anything in 2013. Re-shoots and a cartoon voice over hardly count. I know he said he cleared his schedule for the play. And come on, a MTV award hardly means anything. 2013 was just going to red carpet events. Films fall through all the time so hopefully this year all these projects after Peaks get off the ground.
@ M.A.F I misfired on my sentence, when I wrote “He did turn out for a lot of film stuff,” it made it sound like I was creating film roles for him and I wasn’t. I meant to acknowledge the lot of red-carpet film openings he attended.
But, I don’t see why you/others sniff at this. He is early in his career and building networks, European networks too, at every bloody film festival to push OLLA was a good thing. The actor is trying to showcase himself other than Loki. Film festivals are often about selling films to garner screenspace as much as it partying. OLLA now has a bigger cinema distribution in Europe, I am sure because of this promotion. its art-house not cineworld, but it has got a cineworld/odeon slot. woohoo. Roll on Feb 21st.
And, he got papped at Marvel opening Ironman, and Joss Whedon’s Much Ado about Nothing premiere and Cloud Atlas in UK [in support of his acting-friends James d’arcy] Joss W and James D’Arcy turned out for his Coriolanus. So it’s a two way self-promotion street. They maybe others for all i know.
He presented awards at BAFTA and the Olivier Awards, two places he would be very silly not to attend.
The MTV award was fluff, but again it’s not something to overly sniff at. MTV US audience was a huge awareness tool – even if he did come across as a complete dork on it.
The South Bank Show award, look that up on You tube, much better acceptance speech and very funny intro by Tim Minchin.
If it’s anything like my condo board, I’m down for this movie!
Since it’s set in the 70’s, will there be lots of turtlenecks and blazers?
And velvet curtaining/cushioning.
Tom can save them money by wearing his own velvet blazers…
Well, sure, if he wants to ruin those velvet blazers!
And he can get good mileage out of those velvet blazers by using his truckloads worth of febreeZe LOL
Aw Windy, you completed the circle! Well done you!!
Ben Wheatley makes really good, different movies. He’s got one on demand now (A Field in England) that is one of the trippiest horror movies I’ve seen in a long time. It’s all weird psychological stuff and blood spatter. So this should be interesting.
Also, I continue to be confused about slagging on Hiddles’ movie career. Has he taken on a leading role since breaking out with Thor? No. But he has worked consistently with some of the best people in the industry, on both sides of the camera, and the movies have been mostly good. (Truth time, I did fall asleep while trying to watch Deep Blue Sea.) I just don’t get why people think his career is in trouble, or is anything less than very good. I’d say he’s in better shape than Chris Hemsworth at this point. Yes, Hemsworth is getting big paychecks to be a leading man, but none of his non-Marvel movies have worked out!
I don’t know, I guess I just think Hiddles has been pretty careful and measured about his acting roles. He’s paced it really well. He got the big mainstream vehicle to make him famous, but he’s done consistent, good, low-key work in prestige/indie pics in between Marvel jobs. Now he’s going to do a leading-man job, but it’s with one of the more edgy and indie directors working. It’s like as long as he has Marvel in his back pocket, he isn’t going to try and shove a bunch of equally big projects down our throats. Can you imagine how completely over-saturated we’d be if he’d been promoting multiple blockbusters this whole time?
A Field In England is great! Completely nuts!
I don’t think it’s unreasonable to speculate that Tommy would like to be cast in more (any, of late) bigger budget, wider release films than he has been since breaking out with Loki. Almost all of them want that and it’s unlikely Tommy is any different. There was a brief flurry with Midnight in Paris, War Horse, etc, and then nothing of note (and by note I mean release/budget note, not quality note). I don’t think noticing this qualifies as slagging. I think it qualifies as seeing what’s going on with a career.
I think he totally wants it, I’m not saying he doesn’t want it. I just don’t think his approach has been to go out and bag every leading man part on the table. I think it’s been more about polishing the sheen of prestige and combining it with the fame brought on by Marvel. Now that he’s got a few years before the next Marvel project, I expect we’ll see him stretch more and do bigger movies (like that Del Toro one), and go for more lead roles. I just pick up on this thread of, “Oh poor Tommy, he’s second best,” and maybe right now he is, but the reputation he’s building will stand him in good stead for a long time. He’ll probably end up a lot better off, down the road, than most of his peers who are booking the big roles right now.
i dont think he has got a few years before marvel, bet you he’s filming beg 2015
@Sixer, he had two projects, Dark Wings has my Angel and the Capa film, that fell apart. That’s why there is a gap. He also had to pull out of the Wallender series because the filming conflicted with the filming of Avengers.
@Algernon, Thor 3 is in pre-production now and is expected to be released in May 2016. That means filming is likely to be underway at this time next year.
I loved The Deep Blue Sea!
But to me, it looks as if he is trying to get some good, gritty, non-posh parts in order to demonstrate that he’s more than just a pretty posh boy. He wants people to know he can ACT and will get his hands dirty to boot. It’s pretty smart in all honesty.
Aside from Weisz’s performance, I hated The Deep Blue Sea. The Hiddles role felt like a stock and there was too much scenery chewing.
Not sure I think it’s smart, particularly. Common sense tells me that actors take what they’re given. Noting what Nikkie says above, I think Puddletom would swap post-Thor careers with Hemsworth in a heartbeat. I don’t say that to upset Algernon with my b!tchery – I say it because it’s the most obvious thing and thus probably true.
Notwithstanding all that, a role is a role. So good for Tommy. Particularly, as I say, when it’s something I’m very likely to enjoy.
Ugh, The Deep Blue Sea. Maybe if I’d seen it in a theater I could have stayed awake but watching it at home on Netflix it was a guaranteed two hour nap.
Actors take what they’re given but they’re also strategizing. That’s why they have agents and managers. If it was purely about taking whatever job you can get, actors wouldn’t need agents. I totally think Tom would swap with Hemsworth (most actors probably would, he’s making eight figures these days), and I think he does want to be a big movie star. I don’t argue with that at all. But I detect some strategy in his choices. You can see the boxes being ticked. Blockbuster role? Check. Award bait films? Check. Prestigious stage role? Check. Now they’re going after leading man stuff and non-Marvel big movies to prove he can carry a film and make someone else money. It’s a pretty steady buildup from his breakout year in 2011.
Coincidentally, Chris Evans, who basically re-started his career with Captain America, is on a similar trajectory. He’s starting from an elevated plateau because he was already famous, but he’s peppered his Marvel jobs with indie/prestige fare the same way Hiddles has.
@Sixer @Algernon:
Oh well, different strokes for different folks (I think part of the reason I adored TDBS is it wasn’t a stereotypical American movie. To me it was the opposite of War Horse and I like that).
I agree with Algernon here, this smacks a bit of strategic planning. I totally understand actors & actresses often are only offered certain parts to them but agents are supposed to track down things on behalf of their client too. And while it isn’t an even give and take, actors & actresses that have wanted to act against their stereotype have been able to do so (probably with great difficulty but it can be done).
If this is as dark (or darker) as people have suggested — that is a pretty posh boy’s wet dream. Loki really isn’t THAT dark — nor is a lot of his other characters (a touch of darkness but nothing ‘eating puppies’ dark). However, Coriolanus certainly is and the two together doesn’t sound like chance. Totally my opinion though.
The annoying thing for me, LS, was that I thought I’d love Deep Blue Sea. Nothing worse than a film fan scorned!
Just to continue being a Negative Nelly – actors can only strategise if they have choices. If Puddletom had lots of.choices, we’d have seen him working more. I’m not saying he’d take ANYTHING, but looking at it objectively, he’s probably taking anything decent he’s offered. Strategies are a luxury for the very few in this world.
Okay Sixer, playing Devil’s Advocate here.
*whips out horns, trident, and spiked tail*
Why would Tom be offered this in the first place? A lot of his roles aren’t deep or dark — why would a director even think of him for this ???
Gatiss!
Seriously? Because he can act? Because Hollywood ISN’T knocking so they can get a biggish name in a tiny budget film? Both likely factor.
I’m not decrying Tom himself. I’m just saying the realistic view is that his Hollywod demand is lower than he likely hoped it would be. That doesn’t mean I think Hollywood is right!
You really think Gatiss is the role-maker for Tom here?
there is a more powerful connection with the production team by OLLA, however, Gatiss is comedy partner to Reece Shearsmith – who is connected with Ben Wheatley. I have no doubt there was a big fun dinner for league of gentlemen folk.
in fact it would be amazing if they cast Gatiss in the film too.
No, I was joking. Hence the exclamation mark and saying seriously. However, I would never underestimate the extent of nepotism and mates casting in the UK industry.
I would prefer Tom to stay with the left-of-center films and avoid the cheesy but easy Hollywood rom coms that require little talent and suck the credibility right out of an actor’s career.
Success should not be measured only by the popularity of the films/box office takings.
Late response to Sixer, but this is applicable for every time I see “gosh, that movie took so long to make!” on this site.
Movies take time. Big budget movies especially take a lot of time. There seems to be a feeling that Hiddles should have worked more, but he made a Marvel movie in 2010, 2011, and 2012. That’s half his year, at least, in each of those years, gone. I think I’ve said this before, but Marvel keeps them busy. His options *are* limited, not least because he has to vet everything he does through Marvel. They have what’s called “first priority”. He can’t work unless they make sure it won’t interfere with their schedule. They pulled rank on Jeremy Renner, forcing him out of The Master in order to make The Avengers, and I think they’ve done the same to Tom, we just don’t know about it yet. That Tinkerbelle movie screamed “bonus check” to me, like they gave it to him to make up the payday he lost on another project.
Anyway, I don’t really disagree with you. I do think he’s making the best of what’s on his plate, and his plate is kind of limited. I just don’t think that’s necessarily because he’s not in demand or anything, I think it’s largely because he can’t sign up for stuff willy-nilly. He has to make his choices count, thus the strategy.
@Algernon:
“to prove he can carry a film and make someone else money”
Unfortunately, carrying a film and making someone else money isn’t going to happen with an indie film that won’t even get a wide release. If most of the public doesn’t even have the chance to view it, it doesn’t prove either way whether Tom can carry a film.
@LadySlippers, Loki isn’t dark? Loki’s joke got several people killed at the beginning of the Thor movie. He then attempted fratricide several times, committed patricide, and attempted genocide of his own people. As Nick Fury says: he kills because it is fun. Loki is a psychopath and psychopaths are at their most dangerous when people don’t take them seriously.
TDBS is pretentious, boring, tedious, and terribly executed. What a waste of talent.
Also, I think Hiddles is trying. He’s mentioned how he’s gone for auditions, but he’s not really anyone’s first choice. He’ll get there. If Hollywood doesn’t work out for him, he is totally fine in theatre and arty indies. I kind of want him to do television, where there’s so much room for character development. I’m not sure why there’s criticism over that. Like, why does it matter if he wants to be leading man? Good for him if he does. If he doesn’t and sticks to smaller projects since those are easier to bag, then still, good for the guy. I doubt he sits there with scripts to reject. If anything, I think he tried, sometimes fail, and sometimes get lucky. It’s a business.
Also, I think he either got High Rise due to connections to Gatiss or his connections to Thomas (producer of OLLA).
Hiddleston is in the same place as Hemsworth. They are both big because of Marvel movies, but they have yet to prove they can open a movie big AND at #1 without their signature characters. “Rush” – Hemsworth’s movie – was out for nine weeks and made only 26 million in the US (over 90 million overall). However, “Snow White and the Huntsman” made over 155 million in the States; over 396 million worldwide. So it’s hit or miss for Hemsworth. Hiddleston is in the upcoming Muppet movie this March (it’s looks like a cameo); so he still has to prove he can put butts in theater seats beyond Loki.
Speaking of Loki @ladyslippers – you saw “The Avengers”, didn’t you? (Also called “Avengers Assemble”):
“He (Loki) killed 80 people in two days” – Black Widow’s line. Mind control to get humans to do his dirty work. The carnage in New York he caused with his Chitari-aided invasion. All that led to Loki getting his @$$ handed to him by the Hulk (Loki’s beatdown was the best part of the movie) and hauled back to Asgard in chains to be tried for war crimes on Earth. Odin was going to sentence Loki to death for his actions, but it was lessened to life in prison because Frigga pleaded for mercy. Loki had no remorse for the lives he took on Earth. Explain how that is not dark. Unhappy childhood, Jan Brady syndrome, British accents and snappy comebacks don’t count.
I think Loki is dark gray, aquarius, not so much because of his actions but because he appears in a comic book movie that’s rated PG-13 and intended to be suitable for older children.
Yes, Loki killed 80 people in 2 days. The movie didn’t introduce us to those people or show those deaths, so they become a statistic. Yes, he trashed New York, but that was great fun to watch and we didn’t stick around long enough to see the consequences. Pair that with a sympathetic backstory, a hint at possible redemption, and lots of fun hammy moments that are more likely to be remembered by audiences than 80 deaths, and I think you have a character who’s a villain but not the darkest sort of one.
This movie apparently involves things like incest and cannibalism, and more importantly, it’s an R-rated movie for adults. I think we’ll see something considerably darker from this performance.
Sorry Aquarius I’m in agreement with LunchComa (except even dark grey is a stretch). Loki, in the first Thor, was dark grey but in The Avengers (which is an ensemble piece AND had a different director) he was far too campy for me to call dark. I haven’t seen the second Thor movie so I can’t compare that but it’s The Avengers and how campy Loki has turned into that I discredit him as being really dark.
When I mean dark, I’m thinking to the depths Ralph Fiennes went for Amon Goeth (yikes!) or even Heath Ledger and his Joker. Both really went trolling into the depths of darkness for their characters. And it sounds as if Tom is willing to join them. If Tom can pull it off — kudos to him.
I agree with Lunchcoma here. Maybe ocean grey for Loki’s darkest depths. Killing 80 people out of a population of 7 billion is nothing (I am talking movie world here, not real world!). More people die around the world each day in garden tool accidents (I’m guessing!). If they had of said Loki killed 80,000 people in two days, it might have had more of an impact that this guy was a threat to the planet and didn’t value human life (killing Coulson was his only true “baddie” kill).
Also technically Loki didn’t destroy New York, the Chitauri did. Loki was only loosely in charge of them (somehow I think they would have happily turned on him if he tried to stop them because he didn’t seem well protected when the Avengers came after him (no Chitauri rushed to his aide)). It was another case of Loki having no real friends I think, even the bought kind! And it didn’t take all five Avengers to stop him, it only took the Hulk.
Given they are Marvel movies though, I wouldn’t expect producers to make the villain truly evil. His greyness suited the film genre and target audience.
@LadyS – Loki is even less threatening in Thor 2 and I think was leaning more towards redemption (hopefully no spoilers for you there!).
@algernon says “They pulled rank on Jeremy Renner, forcing him out of The Master in order to make The Avengers, and I think they’ve done the same to Tom, we just don’t know about it yet”
I read rumours that Marvel were behind Capa falling through – they pulled Hayley and Tom out. It makes sense. Capa was due to film June/July/ August and August was Thor 2 reshoots. [prob gave hayley a sweetener, to say sorry – i.e a new series in dev ;-)]
Paul Andrew Williams said las Dec on twitter, it was frustrating how it didn’t get filmed, but he never ever said funding. Hayley said it was funding in an interview, but she then said it was rescheduled for next year. Tom hasn’t said a word, not one. If anyone can find a twit/or article about it being dropped and why? I would love to know.
Marvel can afford to pay off an art house movie without blinking -esp when they have $170 movie in trouble in the editing suite.
Snow White made money because it was Charlize Theron and Kristin Stewart.
@’p’enny, Hiddleston lost the third season of Wallender because of Avengers.
@Lilacflower
I loved him in Wallander, may fav scene is the one where he is on the chair, at an angle being really surly to Wallander, ‘because he packed a chair in the boot of the car, because murder is really exhausting.’
His lines were few, but he delivered them with sardonic wit.
“Phone’s ringing, isn’t anyone going to get that …. oh! it’s me is it…” slams his pretty curls.
If Ken does Wallander S4 this year I would love Tom to be in for a special episode.
Basically agreeing with everyone who said that Loki’s character wasn’t dark. Marvel/movie comic book villains always come across as more the type of bad you boo in the theater rather than the type of evil that wakes you up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat.
I am SO, SO, SO excited to see what he does with this role. It seems like it’s going to give him a real chance to show some serious depth and skill, which I feel I’ve seen in small moments but never in actual complete roles. I think he can pull is off because there is genuine talent there. (Which admittedly I forget sometimes when looking at his pretty face!)
Dude, he has a job. Gotta pay that Belsize mortgage. And yes, not playing Loki is progress.
I think the Belsize Park house is very probably mortgage-free actually. Given his 3 (albeit lower than others) pay days from Marvel. And background. And considering what he paid for it – which isn’t difficult to find out.
Yay!!! A Hiddlestory!! Always makes my day.
Now, what did he do….? Guess I should read the article, but I always get hung up on the photos. Hiddles and Leto in one day, it’s like Christmas! 😉
Definitely yay. The film automatically seems more interesting with him in the lead. But from the description of the film, it doesn’t seem like it will be mass appeal, and therefore its hit or miss whether it’ll pick up some kind of following, hopefully with his name, it will though.
It’s such a great book. Tom is going to be able to pull it off. It will be a great part for him.
And I could just stare at that man all day……
He must be playing Dr. Robert Laing. The book was… interesting. Not outstanding, but interesting.
Ben Wheatley adapting Ballard, very interested to see how this turns out. And I can see Hiddleston as the classic Brit doctor/scientist Ballard character (autobiographical I think).
Umh, adapting Ballard could be tricky, and the reference to the 70s sounds a bit like ‘on the American Hustle wagon’… but that might just be the press release.
Anyway, I kinda like that Hiddles is doing indies! Movies I will actually see! Good good good!
And what big leading role outside of Sherlock does Benedict Cumberbatch have?
Don’t you think it’s kind of childish to bring up BC completely unnecessarily? I don’t see why we can’t have one TH thread where people aren’t comparing him with Cumberbatch. Sometimes it’s fun when people do these comparisons as a joke, but i think it’s quite redundant to bring up BC just for the sake of brining up his name.
With your tone it seems like you wanna mock BC for not having any lead roles BUT for your kind information….he is playing the lead in Plan B & Anapurna’s next flick “The lost city of Z” and playing the lead in “Blood Mountain” produced by Lawrence Bender (who produced films like Pulp fiction, Inglorious Bastards, Kill Bill).
Now what other lead roles does Tommy have apart from this one??? Also if I remember clearly Charlie Hunnam is the lead of Cromson Peak
Thanks Abby, I was trying to remember the lead roles that BC is signed up for in addition to the part in that big budget franchise, what was it…, Star Trek!
Comparing the 2 unfavourably I feel is so unnecessary, esp since they’re friends.
Tom Hiddleston has “Only Lovers Left Alive”
I am talking about the upcoming projects OLLA is done shooting and ready to release…that way BC also had The fifth Estate last year. My point was not to create a fight but was a reply to the snarky comment above to which I replied snarkily as well.
never mind.
@Abby, how many lead roles did Cumberbatch have when he was Hiddleston’s age? You do realize that there is an age difference don’t you? In comparison, Hiddleston’s career is in better shape than Cumberbatch’s was at the same time in his life. These constant attempts to pit the two of them against one another are really unnecessary, especially since they seem to support one another.
@reggie. Why are we going there again? Why is somebody always attacking one or the other on these threads?
I think Khan is pretty big. Villains are also starring roles, imo. I watched it just for him =D
What worries me is that not many actors can pull off a film if they are the only big name. Even more mainstream actors have a hard time doing this.
He needs to start taking smaller roles in big budgets if he wants Hollywood. He’s got the talent and its getting wasted. I also think he should move away from indies.
Until he does this, he will always be the guy who plays Loki to people outside his fandom.
P.s Top Gear on 9th. All watch
why would he want to make an interesting independent movie with an up and coming british directory, based on a novel by a well loved writer? really? it seems to me that hiddleston loves acting, he loves the craft of it. he would make more money and have more fame if he sold himself out to hollywood more, sure. but what kind of career would that give him? taking bit parts in big budget junk would be wasting his talent. i’d rather see him do something interesting.
@ lunchcoma and kaisei – it’s rare we agree on much, so wanted to say I cosign what you’re both saying!
ETA bottom burps! This should be downthread!
I’m somewhere in between the pessimists and the optimists on this point. He has a supporting role in the Del Toro film (what would people call that? it’s not a blockbuster, but not what I’d consider an indie…). I think we can assume that he’d take a supporting role in a big budget movie. I’m going to assume he hasn’t been offered one recently, at least not in anything he wants to do. He’s been pretty open about being a bit typecast for period films.
In any case, while he’s looking for those roles, he needs to keep working. Indie films are a place where he can both get cast and have much more choice about what kinds of projects he’s associated and what kind of people he works with, and with some luck, will lead to more of the first type of role.
I am not quite sure how ‘supporting’ it is. Hunman is the good guy, trying to win the girl and Hiddles is the bad guy, charming the girl away from Hunman into god knows what. It seems a balanced acting quarter between the two guys and two girls.
THey will probably put the names on the poster in alphabetical order to save face for all.
They do give Oscars for supporting roles.
Tom said more than once that he has been knocking on doors but they stayed closed for him. He said in Australia, during the promo tour for Thor2, that he would love to be in the new StarWars film but unfortunately the phone wasn’t ringing.
So, as Lunchcoma says, it’s both things, he is obviously trying to get cast in films he would like to do but it isn’t happening. At the same time he is choosing, very well in my opinion, among the things he gets offered, be it cinema or theatre.
About Top Gear, some pics
https://twitter.com/BBC_TopGear/status/431468401236520960
https://twitter.com/CharMortelman/status/431325513895145472
https://twitter.com/CharMortelman/status/431324037927956480
@kaisei, the way the Star Wars thing is playing out; it sounds like those who haven’t made or gotten phone calls may be in better shape than those who did since it seems just about everyone imaginable has been in contact with somebody about those films and none of them have actually been cast.
I know right? I was mentioning it because Tom mentioned it, as an example that of course he would like to do other big budget movies, but often enough it’s not really up to him.
@Kaisei and Lilacflowers.
I read on Screenrant that it was possible that JJ was struggling to fix Benny C’s contract for Star Wars because Disney had problems with cross-franchise pollinations because of Star Trek. If JJ Abrams wanted Khan to return it would be too close. But, I do think JJ will fix it for Benny C somehow. I think it’s a given. They are just sorting the paperwork.
AS Kaisei, just said “often it’s not really up to the him”
Tom couldn’t work in Star Wars, even if he was asked to, he is way tied up with Loki in branding and production time. It would be cross-pollination mess.
However, come Tom’s 50th birthday and he finally escapes the Marvel universe he could get cast in Star Wars the reinvention-lets start again movie as Obi-wan :-/
It is interesting that he sold up in London and moved to LA but having worked with Marvel he then moved back and bought another home in London. Perhaps he prefers to live in England even if that puts him somewhat under the radar.
@Joe Spider in an interview last november that he liked LA [he made a funny comment about it not all being tits and teeth] But, he loves London and at the moment doesn’t want to move. Dan Stevens and [i think Dominic Cooper have] packed up and moved to the States and thrown themselves into American lifestyle and it’s getting them parts and I think they will do really well in American films/TV because of it.
But, I think Tom and Benedict C are homebodies and prefer to keep a finger in the West End theatre pool.
And selfishly, I don’t want to lose Tom or Benedict to Hollywood to any more crappy boring supporting roles -cough – Osage Country. I don’t want Benedict to waste his acting talent in Star Wars either. -steer clear- please. Pssst Sherlock….. just Sherlock.
Umm sorry I don’t get this ideology. You don’t want him to explore his career just because it will not give you your favourite Sherlock. He wouldn’t enjoy playing Sherlock all his life. An actor wants variety and btw every actor in Hollywood is dying to be part of Star Wars. I am pretty sure BC isn’t dumb enough to let go off the role.
Also Osage was a lovely experience for him, he got to play a vulnerable character from Okhlama something he has never done before. I want him to play all kinds of roles NOT just Sherlock.
@abbey, yes, i know hence saying i am selfish.
totally, utterly and selfishly want Benedict to chose projects just for my viewing preferences 😀
Seriously, of course i want him to do well and do other stuff. God only knows i want British actors /TV/Film to do really really well. We get something up and running and it falls apart because the investment/or commitment is lacking. Another series of Sherlock now, could really get out of PBS viewing time-hell and do well for the Beeb and all involved. Waiting another two bloody years, is frustrating.
On the Star Wars front – it is still a no. ‘shudder’
Happy 97th birthday, ZsaZsa!
I want to see him on TG too! Any idea when the episode will play on BBCA? Assuming 9th you mention is on BBC.
I enjoy his performances, tho not Deep Blue Sea!
The Deep Blue Sea is a bad film and Hiddleston is poor in it. I listened to the BBC Radio version of it with Tom Mison in Hiddleston’s role and he was much much better. A surprise infact.
i think he was miscast for that role, too young.
I thought he was ok, but imo him and Rachel had zero chemistry and were totally miscast.
@kelly, they weren’t supposed to have chemistry. The relationship was supposed to be falling apart because they couldn’t read each other and didn’t understand one another. I thought they were fine for a couple that didn’t belong together.
Okay, but I didn’t believe them as a couple at all – I get that their relationship was falling apart, but supposedly they were deeply in love and unhappy, and he meant the world to her – I got this from their words, but not from their body language.
I couldn’t REALLY buy that she had ever been in love with him, and I could buy even less that he had been in love with her.
Maybe that was the point, I dunno? Maybe they were only deluding each other while it was supposed to be apparent that they had never really loved each other?
But from the reviews and interviews I didn’t get that, they were supposed to have been in love but not any more, and I just couldn’t see or believe that at all.
We agree to disagree. The Deep Blue Sea was one of the first films that made me sit up and take notice of Tom. I adore Rachel too and was glad to see her taking a less glamorous role than usual. Simon Russell Beale is always great.
Simon was sublime!! As was the writing!!!
As for being too young — naw. I think too many people forget that babies (teens & early 20’s) are the bulk of a fighting force. Tom’s age was actually very good otherwise Tom as Freddie wouldn’t have been ‘dashing’ enough to capture Hester’s attention.
Count me in as well – I like Deep Blue Sea. And I thought Tom was good as well as Rachel and Simon… I tend to like WWII or post WWII type of dramas. And yup, Tom brought out the dashing cad character out of Freddie Page.
God bless kaiser!
I needed a Tommy fix after all those threads about creep Allen!
IMO this movie could be a good chance for Tom as an actor but it won’t have much impact at the box office…. And for people who said Hemsworth is getting better roles outside the Thor franchise I don’t think he does… In the end, in Snow White he was surrounded by two female costars, already famous in their right. In Rush, Daniel Bruhl steals the movie (rightly so….).
I hope Chris is not headed Sam Worthington’s way….
Sam has sooooo much potential, but he lost a bit of his hotness when he hooked up with a second-rate model (Lara Bingle). She annoys the bejesus out of me so he must be either very tolerant or very…tolerant.
Or very thick… In comparison to Lara Bingle, Elsa Pataki is a saint….
I had seen some of his interviews years ago and he didn’t come across as stupid… But he lost a lot of his appeal since avatar days… And he released some comments á la ShiaLaBeouf and they ruined his reputation a little.. It is a pity, I saw him in Somersault four years ago and he was awesome.. What a sexy voice too….
Well, I was being diplomatic, but you pretty much said what I was thinking! Anyone that finds Lara interesting to talk to is bound to spill some absolute crap from his mouth from time to time. I can forgive him that, but not for the hook up…
For those not familiar, here he is in a recent radio interview. He’s pretty and funny, but has terrible taste in women!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gxeti9zHD9o
Chris , even worse than Tom, is stuck in Thor/avengers for six months a year, for six movies till end 300012 AD. Ridiculous commitment, especially in a role that is loveable, heroic but not much going on.
I think Chris will bloom too, when the Thor/Avengers stuff is over. And, he will soon have three kids on his hands, he is still really young.
I haven’t seen Rush yet, but it’s an Formula One movie, its market was never going to be the States. But, he a Mann movie and another Ron Howard coming out next year/maybe this year. He’s doing well. 😀
Well sitting at home today nursing a cold I watched Thor The Dark World, and it struck me that apart from when he was throwing himself around Chris’s acting was pretty wooden.
In comparison, I saw Tom in Coriolanus at the cinema last Saturday, and he was absolutely brilliant.
The other Howard movie seems a small one too… Not sure about Mann’s one, I have no idea what plot Cyber has or what kind of story….
Surely, in Snow white, Thor and Rush Chris seemed to play the same character… It was actually my husband who noticed that “he is quite good in these roles, full of energy and a bit of a rogue character”.
Poor puddletom! Those new photos with the stig makes him look like he’s losing that glorious hair!
Nah, I think Luke is plucking it from Tom’s head to sell to fangirls…
Besides, Mark Strong has proven to us that you don’t need hair to still be sexy. Tom will always have “that voice” to call upon. I don’t think he will lose any of his sexiness because of his hair (unless at some point he goes for a comb over, the ultimate passion killer!).
Yul Brynner?
No please, the comb over noooooo!
Mark Strong makes me tingly. There isn’t enough of him in the Internet.
I’ve just got to say I was a long term lurker until I read the comments on Sean Bean. I knew I had to finally join, whoever wrote that comment made me laugh all day.
Yes agree with you Squirrel that Mark Strong is HOT 🙂 So who needs hair anyway?
I will stop being a Cumberfly immediately if Tom gets a comb over. I will just be a Cumbercollective (since that seems more politically correct in Ben’s view) from then on.
his hair is too short, he needs to grow the curls to cover it up.
Christ, I have been thinking that forever. Those lovely golden curls will cover those lite bald spots on the side. Let the curls free Tom!
Just saw these photos and – phew- y’all had me worried! I expected something far worse!
His hairline still looks intact but maybe some thinning on the sides? Could be the shortness of the cut? Or really bad helmet hair?
Anyway, still seems like there is time to prevent any serious loss.
Good news is it doesn’t yet distract from the pretty face!
haha! I always stare at his hairline too and hoping it doesn’t go further. It’s so shallow, but I always do it. If it’s any comfort, his hairline’s looked the same sfor a few years now, but it looked less stark because he had longer hair back then.
Good to know I’m not alone, jammypants!
I’ll admit, I’ve looked at pictures of him when he was younger to see if that hairline has moved. I think it’s just naturally really high.
Oh, Tommy, what you do to us!!
yea I think at some point though, men don’t really lose much more. Like, Daniel Craig’s hairline receded, but it didn’t really go much further. I “shallowly” hope the same for Hiddles. He’s just so pretty.
His hairline looks the same, even from Wallander days:
http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4ws13hIAZ1rogw23o2_400.gif
Then during the first Thor promo:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/TomHiddlestonApr2011.jpg
He looks so tired..then again Coriolanus is no joy ride. And THAT hair is all wrong for hum…bring back the henry v curls!! Btw qAm i the only one who noticed tgthee bruised knuckle?
And they have all had colds recently which doesn’t help when you are performing like that. I noticed his voice sounded a little rough when I watched, which can’t be fun with 8 performances a week.
Uh, didn’t he just show up on the movie radar screen in 2011!? He has an amazing career in a very short time. He has nothing to worry about.
Also, High Rise is a very sick book. I liked it a lot.
Oh dear, what does that say about you? 🙂
@secret squirrel, lunchcoma and ladyslippers – I’ll concede the point that Loki was nothing more than a lackey for the real big bad in “the Avengers”. Still doesn’t let him off the hook for what he has done. Bad childhood is no excuse – EVER. Oh, in Thor 2 Loki indirectly facilitated Frigga’s murder when he tipped off Kruse how to get to the royal enclosure. It looked like a secret passageway that only the royal family would know about. Loki the dumb@$$ has such a jones for taking down Odin and/or Thor it didn’t occur to him he would endanger his mother the queen. Any redemption Loki got for helping in the takedown of Kruse was cancelled out when Loki impersonated Odin on the throne. My money’s on regicide. Frigga saved Loki’s butt from the executioner; what’s to stop Odin to re-instate the death sentence now that’s she’s gone? Loki’s instinct for self-preservation is THAT strong. Add in the personal resentment and you get the path of Loki’s ascension.
Thor 3 is a go according to news reports. Some internet leaks state the three-quel will deal with Ragnarok – the Asgardian Apocalypse, and Loki may be triggering that mess. Also it’s out that Loki will instigate a war between Asgard and Earth as a follow up to Avengers 2. Whatever the writers use, it looks like Loki is going to do crap that is beyond redemption. Being outed as an Odin impersonator will most likely lead to rebellion on Asgard, and the things he would do to keep the throne…..
How exciting- bring it on. @aquarius64
Watch the docu Brother’s Journey [floating on Tumblr] and Tom H really talks about the mistake Loki made with Kurse. And it shows some extra footage of Loki cracking up over it! Tom says. “It was that indirect act that really broke Loki, and set him on a path of redemption, maybe.” [didn’t last long LOL]
They really had to cut out Tom’s Loki break-down stuff, it was way to deep for a marvel movie. I wish i could see that alternative scene in its full flow. Because it looked awesome. Loki in tears and screaming!
i want that scene.
@aquarius:
All I’m saying is I think Loki (in the movies) is too campy to be dark — it is a ‘silly’ comic book character after all. However, that isn’t to say his actions are good though, they aren’t.
To me a dark character is one that frightens adults. Or a character that provokes a violent negative reaction or something akin to that which is why I brought up Fiennes and Ledger. I could have shot Amon Goeth (I’m not violent and won’t touch a gun) as he was such a terrible man — he made my skin crawl. That’s my go-to for a truly evil and dark character.
He’s going to be so exhausted when filming this film starts. I know he’s a workaholic but this is ridiculous. He’s flying out to Canada the day after Coriolanus ends for crying out loud! That ends and he starts another film.
I suppose we should be greatful that he’s making films but he does need a break at least
yea, his schedule’s been nuts since the Thor promo, then Coriolanus, then Crimson Peak (production ends in May), then right into High Rise.
I was quite excited when I heard this. Ballard is a cult writer and films from his books like Crash have a cult status. It’s such a violent, disturbing book though… I think I’ll be closing my eyes for the dog scene…
He’s definitely building a quality-over-quantity body of work. Hope he does get some time off though, he’s been working very hard.
Yay! Perfect casting. Now, have they cast anyone else?
Anyone reading the book? I’m picking it up to get an idea of what to expect. I’ve never read any of Ballard’s books. I live under a rock.
I picked it up. I’ve had oddly good luck with books people have mentioned in passing on this site before, and this is kind of generally up my alley since I’m usually a big sci fi fan.
I just picked it up. It’s not a bulky book so I might finish it in one go. I guess we can all come back with thoughts on the book after reading? 🙂
None of this is really spoiler material. It’s a quick read. It is dark and brutal, although the actual violence is not detailed in great depth, just referred to almost in passing or discovered after it has happened, which is a bit chilling. The setting is rather claustrophobic since there is only one or two brief forays outside the building. The building is divided into three areas, classes really, and there is a main male character associated with each level. Dr. Laing is associated with the middle area. The character on the highest level is named Royal. Can’t remember what the name of the guy is from the lower levels. They are either friendly or cordial at the start of the book. Each has an antagonist within his own level. The women are just peripheral characters, none of them are fully fleshed out, which is fairly typical of the era in which the book was written. Cats, dogs, women, gays, children, staircases, elevators, swimming pools, and the building itself do not fare well. There’s war, murder, vandalism, theft, rape, incest, torture, hints of cannibalism.
Finally read it. So disturbing. Grotesque on every level.
Kindle Sales rank of High Rise went up 41,000 places within 30 hours of this announcement. And that’s just Kindle sales!
Back on the “career trajectory” comments…I’m a scosh befuddled by the repeated statements (in other threads as well) that Hiddleston is in a supporting role with Crimson Peak–GdT specifically cited his “leading man quality” when discussing TH and the movie.
There’s also an interview out there somewhere… Hiddleston talks about advice given to him by Chwitel Ejiofor: look for new things, take roles that will be an adventure for you…or something like that. Not sure how Pirate Fairy fits in 🙂 But it *is* different from other stuff!
Also…I actually think he kept reasonably busy in 2013. Hearing Marvel may have killed the Capa project makes almost too much sense (so it can’t possibly be true 🙂 )…they worked him hard for promo (think corporate Disney overall) plus the reshoots. He evidently did some more short film work w/friends, plus Coriolanus would have required a LOT of prep.
As always, my name says it all–but there’s my two cents!
In comparison to his actual contemporaries like Eddie Redmayne, Ben Whishaw, Dan Stevens, Rupert Friend, Jamie Dornan, he actually had film work come out in 2013 that people saw in theaters, and in large numbers. That’s not including the many American actors in the same age range who weren’t active in the past year. There is not a lot of work to spread around. And I don’t understand why people keep discounting landing the lead in a Shakespeare play in London; that is a major accomplishment in and of itself. To get generally good reviews for the performance AND sell out every performance for a two month run is outstanding. Some actors only focus on theater and some theater actors only do Shakespeare. Additionally, Cumberbatch, Hardy, and Fassbender are not his contemporaries and I don’t understand why people keep lumping them together.
I agree @liLacflowers. I sometimes get confused by what puddletom wants as he says in some interviews he wants blockbusters and in other interviews he wants indies.
I wouldn’t put him in the same category as Fassbender, Cumberbatch, Hardy, Hunman and Dornan. They are more film/Tv actors where else Tom is Film/Theatre actor.
Bulking up his stage career might not be a bad thing. It could lead to broadway and might get him noticed more that way. Jackman and others got noticed that way in their early 30’s so I don’t see why Puddletom can’t do it.
At the end of the day it depends on what he really wants.
You know what they say – comparisons are odious.
Well someone once did!
@joe spider, John Lydgate did. It was then copied by Cervantes, Marlowe, and Donne. Shakespeare took it and changed it to “comparisons are odorous.”
Nice. I might be among the non-Kindle numbers.
Also, Coriolanus’ NTL screenings made a nice chunk of change: £796,000
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/feb/05/wolf-wall-street-box-office-uk
I saw that–interesting article, to put the single showing in perspective. It evidently doesn’t include outside the UK, and I’d be surprised if it doesn’t do at least that much again in US screenings all told.
BTW, Jaguar (main) as well as Jaguar USA are evidently acknowledging the Army and giving credit for the #GoodToBeBad ad’s strong showing in voting. (Not surprised, are you…)
I do have to be honest–although I expect this to be pretty amazing, not sure how I feel about two movies with such horrific elements back to back. Obviously he isn’t squeamish!
yea I just realized his next two films are really dark, definitely rated R material. I do hope he does some comedy down the road. A nice quirky British comedy.
@Totallybiased:
“Also…I actually think he kept reasonably busy in 2013. Hearing Marvel may have killed the Capa project makes almost too much sense (so it can’t possibly be true :)”
Can you tell me where this came from? It might explain why Tom went from being all on about the role, then absolute silence.
@joe spider
I read it ages ago, as reader gossip on the Comicbookvine /Screenrant sites. Take it with a pinch of salt. It’s well buried now. No official line at all. I’ve tried hard to find one, it could be totally totally wrong. It could also be problems with the Capa estate/Magnum photos, copyright issues. Mann’s film is stuck in dev hell too. For example, the Tolkien estate kept Hobbit in dev hell for years. And Capa/Magnum were pushing the 5oth anniversary of his photos and planning big Capa Expos. So the timing was right for a film on Capa. – who knows.
But, if that was the case why not come out and say?
Marvel may have kept this quiet for Tom’s/Hayley’s sake. To be honest it wouldn’t be good for Tom’s professional image if Tom publicly dropped a film, days off shooting for a months worth of filming for Marvel. It would make Tom an unreliable risky hire, knowing Marvel could pull him any time.
Stephen King did do a story like this called “The Cannibals”. It was a novel he worked on about an apartment building that gets sealed off from the outside world and he got like 500 pages into it before he stopped and shelved it. He posted the first 100-ish pages of the original manuscript on his website around the time that “Under the Dome” came out because people were making comments about the premise being the same as the Simpsons movie so he posted proof that he was thinking of this concept way before then. Its actually a pretty great read, really wish he’d finished it – or at least posted the entire 500 pages.
Think he had his hair cut really short at the sides earlier this year, when Top Gear was probably filmed. Didn’t notice it in Coriolanus.
‘@ p’enny says:
February 7, 2014 at 5:34 am
@joe spider
Tom had done a lot of his own research on this film, going to Hungary etc. I would be surprised if he was the one to blame a. because of the time he invested and seemed to want to do it. and b. if he had signed a contract…….
Top Gear was filmed yesterday (Thursday) as far as I’m aware. They only film it two or three days before broadcast on Sunday.
@ Joes spider
I know, i agree and what breaks my heart because the Capa filmed looked good, really good. so much pre-production work had already gone ahead. And he did something weird to his eyebrows to get ready for filming.
I am not saying he is directly to blame, though, i am ‘gossiping’ and it gossip that Marvel is. As mentioned above, Marvel pulled Jeremy renner out of a film. His contract is to Marvel first. I bet Tom didn’t think for one moment, that Marvel would want to film ‘not just reshoots’ as Alan Taylor remarked but newly written scenes two months before the films release.
I think Tom may have got caught in the middle there.
“@Make mine a double says:
February 7, 2014 at 6:52 am
Top Gear was filmed yesterday (Thursday) as far as I’m aware. They only film it two or three days before broadcast on Sunday.”
Yesterday????? I doubt it as Tom has two performances of Coriolanus on a Thursday.
I’m just worried it might be another dud so I won’t get excited about it until I see them start filming.
RE the hairline, I agree it’s always been high but compare it to a photo from this time last year he seems to have patches of hair loss just above his ear. It wouldn’t bother me as bald man can be very sexy as proved recently ;-p
Found out why he doesn’t do stage door anymore. Look at some of the fan sites on twitter! Some of them are scary without realising it.
I don’t do twitter, so can you just tell me?? Please?? Whisper it and nobody else will hear!!
@secretsquirrel the scary twitter fan sites aren’t the ones like the jokey ones for example Lego Loki, Tom sweater count and the one where the fan just reports everything.
I’ve read about the infamous twitter fan and her followers but there are some really creepy ones like the middle age women who bitch about the teenage fans without realising they are actually worse. Literally they are on there more than the stereotype fans and far more worse because they have the funds to go down there and annoy him at the end.
Then there is the accounts that keeps setting up charity events in the hope that Tom would notice them. The latest is a blood donation which I don’t think is a good idea unless you’ve thought long and hard about plus you need medical tests etc.
then there is the tout. Has loads of signed merchandised that they either sell or giveaway in competitions. I’m not going into my theory of where they got the autographs but autograph tout comes to mind.
Like i said, most of his twitter fan accounts are like in here where fans like a bit of banter. Others however aren’t practising what they preach and in my opinion are far worse than tumblr. No wonder he hates twitter now
I am really, really uncomfortable with fan bashing. Whether names are mentioned or not, I just don’t think it’s a good idea to start singling other fans out for criticism. Every single fanbase has a few individuals who are…over the top. This is nothing new.
An example of some twitter fan craziness. In a wholly scientific experiment, last night I looked at the twitter page of the woman who tweeted the pics of Tom doing Top Gear. She had three followers. Checked this morning – she was up to 15 and most of them were all called things like “We love Hiddles” and “Mrs Hiddleston”. Why would anybody want to follow the twitter page of some woman who was in the audience of a TV show? She didn’t meet him, she doesn’t know him. She just took a couple of pictures and tweeted them. *le sigh* Wonder how many followers she’ll have by the end of the weekend?
Penny, I assume you’re referring to this account. This lot don’t sound like fans at all:
http://observationdeck.io9.com/the-dark-side-of-fandom-1514042157?fb_action_ids=10151845305496946&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%5B265665756930599%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22og.likes%22%5D&action_ref_map
In TommyAnne twitter news, he favourited a tweet with a naughty manip.
Well, yes, he did stop signing at the stage door at the Donmar due to crazy fan behavior. There was an online account of someone who saw fans swarming the front door as opposed to standing in line. They were blocking people from leaving the theater. The security repeatedly told them to move and they would not. When told Tom would not come out, people started to go the fire exit to meet Tom. This really is some creepy, stalkerish shit.
As for the twitter stuff some of it is OTT. The woman who tweeted pics of Tom doing ‘Top Gear’–well, not surprising she gained followers. I have no gripes about that.
I just fail to see why they would want to. It’s a one off, she’s never going to post Tom related stuff again which is obviously what they want to read / follow. They’ll be reading some woman’s tweets about going shopping and taking the cat to the vets.
There were attempts to follow him one—and apparently some ‘fans’ succeeded. I saw one account myself this past weekend where this idiot noted the new policy, then blithely went around to the fire escape and lurked there—and took photos which captured HIddleston looking rather annoyed. Some people feel entitled, I guess. It’s amazing how they write this stuff and take pictures and don’t realize they’re portraying themselves—–“Well, he’s famous, what does he expect?” They just about say, “He asked for it.”
I’m late to comment but it’s great he’s got another project on the boil, but I’ll reserve my excitement until its in the can…so many hurdles along the way. I haven’t read the book – will be joining the masses who are downloading on Kindle. I like that he’s getting darker, grittier roles but [perhaps selfishly], I hope he gets cast in a comedy….it’s interesting this article came out:
http://www.hollywood.com/news/movies/56777970/is-tom-hiddleston-stuck-in-a-genre-rut?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+hollywood%2FRhHn+(Latest+news)
I wish that article would die, it is a very poor researched article by a journalist who wouldnt know his back catalogue if he tripped over it.
On a lighter note, i watched Suburban Shootout today -hilarious. Tom Hiddleston has a small, but very cute, comedy role in it. It dates back to 2006. But, it has the cream of British woman comedy actors in it and i recommend anyone to get DVD for a good giggle.