Riz Ahmed joins Michael Winterbottom’s next; is it THE PROMISED LAND?
UPDATE: Thanks to some eagle eyed readers, we now know that the film in question here is not in fact THE PROMISED LAND, but is Winterbottom’s upcoming film, TRISHNA, his retelling of Tess of the d’Urbervilles. Here’s that film’s full synopsis.
Over the past few years, chameleon auteur Michael Winterbottom has been about as prolific as one could really hope. Pumping out a film a year for the past nine years, Winterbottom has really had very little problem getting films made, made quickly, and made with the utmost quality.
Except for one film, THE PROMISED LAND.
Well, according to The Telegraph UK (via The Playlist), that very film may have just gotten a new cast member. The outlet is reporting that FOUR LIONS star Riz Ahmed has joined Winterbottom’s next film, and things are moving behind the scenes that have many believing this may ultimately be that very film.
The project currently has Colin Firth, Jim Sturgess, and Matthew MacFaydden attached to star, and is Winterbottom’s Palestine-set thriller looking at terrorism in the then British-ruled Palestine in the 1930’s. =If this is the film in question, Ahmed would likely play the film’s main villain, the poet/academic/Zionist organization leader Avraham Stern.
Now, personally, while it isn’t clear as to if this is indeed the film, all signs point to this being the project in question, and thankfully so. Both involved here are fantastic at what they do, and there are very few people quite like Winterbottom as a filmmaker.
Here’s the film’s synopsis:
“THE PROMISED LAND tells the gripping true story of two British police officers THOMAS WILKIN, played by Jim Sturgess, and GEOFFREY MORTON, played by Matthew Macfadyen and their battle to bring to an end the campaign of bombings and assassinations by the extreme right-wing Jewish underground led by the charismatic poet, AVRAHAM STERN. The story is told through the eyes of the British Assistant District Commissioner ROBERT CHAMBERS played by Colin Firth. The film culminates when the two policemen track Stern down to his hide out in an apartment block in Tel Aviv in 1942.”
Other articles that you might like:
Commenting Rules: Comments are intended to open up the discussion to our readers about the topics at hand, and as such should be offered with a positive and constructive attitude. If your comment is not relative to the above post or is disrespectful to the authors and readers, we reserve the right to delete it. Continued abuse of our good nature will result in banishment of the offender. Additionally, if you have any burning issues to point out to the GATW crew - typos, corrections, suggestions, or straight-up criticism - please email us instead of commenting here.