Gemma Arterton and Jeremy Renner to Hunt Witches as Hansel and Gretel
Posted 01.05.11 by Ryan
What if fairy tale characters Hansel and Gretel grew up to become witch hunters? That's the premise behind Paramount's appropriately-titled Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, which screenwriter D.W. Harper has fashioned into a "horror/action/comedy" for producers Will Ferrell and Adam McKay and Norwegian director Tommy Wirkola, who will be making his U.S. debut after receiving international attention for his 2009 Nazi zombie
flick Dead Snow. Wirkola has assembled quite the cast for his movie as well.
Variety reports that Gemma Arterton and Jeremy Renner have been cast as the candy-loving siblings in the movie, which sees the characters 15 years removed from their initial witch encounter.
Renner was rumored for the Hansel role in September, but his reps denied that a deal was in place for the actor. Now it seems scheduling issues for the in-demand actor have been ironed out. Hansel and Gretel will start shooting on March 7 in Berlin, after Renner finishes work on Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol and before Renner starts on The Avengers, where Renner will be playing Hawkeye.
Arterton's schedule was also a factor. The actress is set to appear in the Clash of the Titans sequel, Wrath of the Titans, which will start shooting on February 1.