Dame Helen Mirren has said questions over the choice to have her play Israel’s first female prime minister, Golda Meir, are “utterly legitimate”. The casting for the upcoming biopic Golda, directed by Guy Nattiv, was criticised by fellow actor Dame Maureen Lipman last month because Mirren is not Jewish. Meir, who died in 1978, was Israel’s prime minister between 1969 and 1974. The new film is set during the Yom Kippur war in 1973 and started shooting in November 2021. Mirren told the Daily Mail, as reported by The Guardian the question of her appropriateness for the role had occurred to her too. “It was certainly a question that I had, before I accepted the role. [Meir] is a very important person in Israeli history,” she said. “I said, ‘Look, Guy, I’m not Jewish, and if you want to think about that, and decide to go in a different direction, no hard feelings. I will absolutely understand.’” Lipman previously said that the challenge of acting was to become the character you are playing regardless of background. But, speaking on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, she added that actors who shared the background of their character should be looked at first. On the portrayal of Meir specifically, she highlighted that “the Jewishness of the character is so integral”. Responding to Lipman’s criticism, Mirren said: “I do believe it is a discussion that has to be had – it’s utterly legitimate.” “I very much respect Maureen. And I love her as an actress, absolutely. “I’d love to bump into her and sit and have a cup of tea and talk about it,” she added. “Dame to dame, I suggest.” She added: “‘My only real fear is if I’m really bad as Golda … in which case, I’ll be toast.”

According to Deadline, Sony Pictures Classics has set a March 25 theatrical release date for The Duke, directed by the late Roger Michell. The film starring Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren will open in theaters in New York and Los Angeles before expanding in the following weeks. The dramedy is currently playing at the Laemmle Royal in Los Angeles for a one-week awards qualifying run through Dec. 16. The Duke is set in 1961, when Kempton Bunton, a 60-year old taxi driver, stole Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London. It was the first (and remains the only) theft in the Gallery’s history. Kempton sent ransom notes saying that he would return the painting on condition that the government agreed to provide television for free to the elderly. What happened next became the stuff of legend. Only 50 years later did the full story emerge – a startling revelation of how a good man set out to change the world and in so doing saved his son and his marriage. With screenplay by Richard Bean and Clive Coleman, it’s produced by Nicky Bentham and executive produced by Cameron McCracken and Jenny Borgars for Pathé, Andrea Scarso for Ingenious Media, Hugo Heppell for Screen Yorkshire, Peter Scarf, and Christopher Bunton. It played at the Venice and Telluride Film Festivals. It is the final film from Michell, who passed away in September. A couple of new production stills have been added alongside the Italian poster for the film.

Helen Mirren is former Israeli prime minister Golda Meir in this first look for Guy Nattiv’s upcoming biopic “Golda”, as shared by The Hollywood Reporter, which has now started shooting in London. The film is written by Nicholas Martin and set during the Yom Kippur War of 1973, when Egypt, Syria and Jordan launched a surprise attack on Israel to reclaim territory lost during the Six-Day War in 1967. Described as a “ticking-clock thriller,” Golda charts the high-stakes responsibilities Meir faced and the controversial decision she took amid infighting from her hostile all-male cabinet. “Golda Meir was a formidable, intransigent and powerful leader,” said Mirren. “It is a great challenge to portray her at the most difficult moment of her extraordinary life. I only hope I do her justice!” “I have long been an admirer of the great Helen Mirren,” said Nattiv. “She has melted so brilliantly into Golda Meir’s character with incredible talent, intelligence, depth and emotion, doing justice to the richness and complexity of this incredible woman.” As previously announced, Bleecker Street and ShivHans acquired U.S. rights to the film, in a deal negotiated by ICM Independent and CAA Media Finance. “Golda” is produced by Michael Kuhn (Florence Foster Jenkins, The Duchess) for Qwerty Films and by Jane Hooks and Nicholas Martin. The film shoots for six weeks in London and on location in Israel.

I’m not sure how reliable this source is, but according to the Kemps Film TV Video website, filming begins in the UK today, 8 November, on “Golda”, the biopic of Israel’s only female prime minster, Golda Meir. The feature is described as a “ticking-clock thriller following the intensely dramatic events and controversial decisions Meir faced during the Yom Kippur War in 1973. “Golda” is directed by Guy Nattiv from a screenplay by Nicholas Martin (Florence Foster Jenkins). Jane Hooks and Michael Kuhn produce; shooting will run for six months. Mirren has recently completed filming her role of Hespera in Shazam! Fury of the Gods (part of the DC Extended Universe) and Grandmère in White Bird: A Wonder Story, an adaptation of RJ Palacio’s graphic novel, which filmed in the Czech Republic. It was announced only a couple of months ago that financing of the film has been secured, so that would mean a rather fast pre-production. Fingers crossed it’s indeed being filmed as we speak.

The latest installment of the “Fast & Furious” franchise released on-demand and Blu-Ray this October, so everyone who missed it in the theaters and/or is curious to see Helen reprising her role as Magdalene “Queenie” Shaw, here’s your chance. It’s really not more than a cameo with one scene shared with Vin Diesel, but they seem to get along just well and I’m sure there’ll be a place for Magdalene” in the next films to follow. If you couldn’t care less, I don’t judge you :-). Enjoy the screencaptures.

Well, Helen Mirren fans, here’s another first look: Despite the film’s release date still being two years out, “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” has now shared a behind-the-scenes look over at DC FanDome, offering a look at what appears to be a massive production. Returning as the titular hero will be Zachary Levi alongside Asher Angel as his non-superhero personality Billy Batson, both joined by Jack Dylan Grazer, Djimon Hounsou, Rachel Zegler, Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu. David F. Sandberg is also coming back to direct the sequel after a successful origin movie. While information revolving around the sequel’s plot remain scarce at this point, we do know that it’ll pick up where the original film left off, which Batson’s foster family now all wielding the power to transform into superheroes. Neither Mirren’s Hespera nor Liu’s Kalypso are characters previously from the Shazam! comics, but both villains are daughters of the Greek Titan Atlas, one of the heroes from Greek mythology that contributes to the acronym Shazam and gives power to him. Shazam! Fury of the Gods is now scheduled to release June 2, 2023. You can watch the featurette below, HD screencaptures have been added to the photo gallery.

Sad news today. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Roger Michell, the British stage, television and film director whose movies include the hit romcom Notting Hill, has died. He was 65. Michell’s family announced his death on Wednesday in a statement on Thursday. They didn’t disclose the place or cause of death. “It is with great sadness that the family of Roger Michell, director, writer and father of Harry, Rosie, Maggie and Sparrow, announce his death at the age of 65 on Sept. 22,” said the statement released through Michell’s publicist. Michell directed for British theaters including the Royal Court, the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company, and made acclaimed television series in the 1990s, including adaptations of Hanif Kureishi’s novel The Buddha of Suburbia and Jane Austen’s Persuasion. On the big screen, his biggest commercial hit was Notting Hill, the Richard Curtis-penned comedy about an awkward romance between a movie star played by Julia Roberts and a London bookshop owner, played by Hugh Grant. After its release in 1999 it was for a time the highest-grossing British film in history, and Michell followed it with Hollywood thriller Changing Lanes, starring Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson. But he largely made films in Britain, including Enduring Love, based on an Ian McEwan novel, and Venus, which gained Peter O’Toole an Academy Award nomination. Later films included Hyde Park on Hudson, a historical drama starring Bill Murray as President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the upcoming The Duke, a real-life art heist story starring Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren. Michell is survived by ex-wives Kate Buffery and Anna Maxwell Martin, both actors, and by his four children.

According to Variety, Helen Mirren is set to host a four-part “Harry Potter” wizarding world competition event in celebration of the 20th anniversary of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” The event, officially titled “Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses,” will put superfans of the beloved book and film series to the test as they use their “Harry Potter” knowledge to compete for the coveted House Cup. The special will feature hundreds of “Harry Potter” trivia questions and include a few special guest appearances. Although a date for the event has yet to be announced, it will be simulcast on Cartoon Network’s ACME Night and TBS and will then be available to stream on HBO Max. “I knew someday I’d get a ‘Harry Potter’ role, and I’m so pleased to take part in the 20-year film celebration,” Mirren said in a statement. “The films inspired such enchantment and wonder for so many of us, and it will be such a treat to reignite that magic for the countless fans who continue to revel in this spellbinding world.”

The special is set to film this month and will premiere later this year.

Some amazing news from Deadline: Morgan Freeman, Al Pacino, Helen Mirren and Danny DeVito are set to star in “Sniff”, a stylish reinvention of the film noir genre that will be directed by Oscar winner Taylor Hackford. Endeavor Content will launch worldwide sales at TIFF, with CAA Media Finance co-repping U.S. rights. In the Tom Grey-scripted film, two residents die under suspicious circumstances in a high-end luxury retirement community. Retired detective Joe Mulwray (Freeman) is pulled back into the action by his former partner William Keys (DeVito), and they uncover a hidden underworld of sex, drugs and murder in the wealthy community controlled by kingpin Harvey Stride (Pacino), and his femme fatale enforcer, The Spider (Mirren). Sniff is an acronym for Senior Nursing Institute & Family Foundation.

I have always been a big fan of film noir but haven’t really made one, though I did make Against All Odds. That was a remake of Out of the Past, which is one of the best film noirs ever. I didn’t want to make a shot for shot redo of that, but took it as inspiration. Adam and Matt Skiena sent me the script, over the transom to my agent, and I was delighted. First-time screenwriter who has amazing style and conceptually understands what makes film noir stick. The whole concept of setting a film noir in an upscale retirement community … these are proliferating all over the United States as the baby boomer generation gets to retirement. There’s a lot of money, and people want to live in a beautiful setting. Those are on the brochures, but what Tom Grey did was show what was lurking below the surface. I thought it was a brilliant idea and he understood the nature of good noir – the dark story, the incredibly twisted characters – and I thought he had a great handle. Adam and Matt said, ‘It’s yours if you want to run with it.’ I met the writer, Tom Grey, we clicked and worked on it together, him writing and me putting ideas in. When you have something that’s original, I asked him, ‘Who did you have in mind when you wrote it?’ He said Morgan Freeman as the detective at the end of his rope, the main nemesis Al Pacino, the femme fatale Helen Mirren – an actor I know quite well. I said, ‘How about the ex-partner?’ He said Danny DeVito. Well, these are all people I know. I’ve worked with Al, Helen, Danny is a friend, and Morgan I know, and he’s always been looking for something to do with Helen. He’s told me that. I said, ‘I’m going to try and make your dream come true.’ Luckily, what I’d read on the page fit those actors. (Taylor Hackford)

From there, it was not only about making people’s schedules work but form-fitting the roles for the elite cast. Producer Goodman said the goal is for the film to begin production by early next year. “The dream is to have the film available for the fourth quarter of 2022,” he said. “Adult audiences are wildly underserved right now, and it feels like there is a great opportunity here. This film can play broadly but it can be a real event for that community. We really haven’t seen this type of cast since the Ocean’s Eleven movies.”

This one went by without me noticing it, so if you haven’t heard about it either, Pathé has moved next month’s theatrical release of Roger Mitchell’s “The Duke” to Spring 2022 on Twitter, citing the ongoing Pandemic for the move. As of now, it’s unclear if the film will be released in the United States next month or if this date will be changed as well. It’s not the first time for the true story comedy drama starring Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren, as “The Duke” was originally scheduled to be released in the United Kingdom on 6 November 2020, but Pathé eventually pushed back the movie to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been shown already at the Venice Film Festival and Telluride Film Festival. The exact new release date has not yet been announced.