More from Sir Anthony Hopkins on The Wolfman and Thor
Posted 02.11.10 by BrentJS
Despite The Wolfman's being filmed in the UK with a predominantly British cast, Academy Award–winning actor Sir Anthony Hopkins recently told Collider that the movie, Victorian trappings and all, is still very much an an American production.
Well, it's an American movie and it's an American subject.... So, it's an American movie, really, it's not a British subject. What's interesting about it is that it's an American gothic movie filmed in Britain, in real locations, which makes it, gives it another dimension, gives it another reality.
It's like a Western set in an English setting. I said it on the first day when I was on the set in the big house. With all the American machinery and sets and everything. There was a sort of real location, and I said to [director] Joe Johnston, I said, "This is a big American gothic," [and] he said, "Yeah." So that's it.
Even though Hopkins has been doing a lot of press for The Wolfman in anticipation of the movie's opening on Friday, he's also currently shooting scenes for Kenneth Branagh's Thor, in which he will play Odin, the Marvel Comics version of the mythological Norse god. In the comics on which the movie is based, Thor speaks with a Shakespearean accent, but comic book purists will be disppointed to learn that Thor won't be saying things like "I say thee nay!" before smiting his enemies with his mystical hammer, Mjolnir. Hopkins told MTV that "it's all modern language" in Thor, though he conceded that the movie would have a hint of the bard.
It's a superhero movie, but with a bit of Shakespeare thrown in. It's a big, big broad thing. [The Wolfman] is a bit of a Shakespeare movie as well, on a big scope.
Thor stars a predominantly young cast of actors, including relative newcomer Chris Hemsworth in the title role, which Hopkins said was just fine with him.
Oh, I love working with young actors. I don't have to do much work. I let them do all the work. I let them act ... and then I just stand back.
Next Showing: The Wolfman opens February 12