Man of Steel star Russell Crowe announced as director of Gallipoli drama

Russell Crowe spends time with the fans at the "Man of Steel" (El Hombre de Acero) premiere in Madrid. Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images

 

 

 

Jonathon Moran, The Daily Telegraph, reports

Russell Crowe will make his feature directorial debut, taking his turn behind the camera to helm and star in The Water Diviner.

The film is to be set in 1919 and will tell the story of an Australian father who travels to Turkey to find his two sons who are missing after the battle of Gallipoli.

The film would seem to be an ideal project for Crowe, who will also star, if the project's official blurb is anything to go by: "It's 1919, and as the stench of cordite that has engulfed the world thins, an Australian father arrives at Gallipoli to recover the bodies of his sons, only to find hope where he thought there was none. "

The project is the latest in a long line of Australian films on Gallipoli which began with The Hero of the Dardanelles in 1915 and culminated with Peter Weir's 1981 masterpiece Gallipoli, which starred a young Mel Gibson and Mark Lee.

The Water Diviner has been co-written by Andrew Knight and Andrew Anastasios and will be shot in Turkey and Australia later this year. Hopscotch Films’ Troy Lum is producing the project with further casting details to be announced in the coming months.

Crowe is currently enjoying international box office success thanks to the latest Superman installment, Man Of Steel, which took nearly $200 million at opening last weekend.

Man of Steel stars British hunk Henry Cavill as the legendary superhero and Amy Adams as Lois Lane.
Crowe plays Superman’s biological dad.

Having only appeared in films with adult content, Man of Steel is the first movie Crowe has allowed his sons to see, but the boys were less than impressed due to the minimal number of scenes their dad appears in.

"I have a six-year-old and nine-year-old and I have to be honest that came into play in making my decision (to accept the role) so they could see one movie I did,'' Crowe told UK talkshow host Graham Norton.

"Gladiator is way too violent and Les Miserables has prostitution. So they have never been able to see a film of mine and now they have. I'm hardly in it so when they did see it they said: What's the big deal?''

Crowe, Cavill and director Zack Snyder will be at Monday's Australian premiere.

Russell Crowe tweets love for Greece island Mykonos

Russell Crowe goes for a swim at Mykonos in the Greek Islands. Picture: Mykonos LiveTV.com

Annette Sharp, The Daily Telegraph, reports

Russell Crowe created a stir when he plunged into the sea off the Greek tourist destination of Mykonos on Tuesday, his coastal dip exciting locals who couldn’t help but admire his manly form.

Currently on a world trip to promote his latest film Man of Steel, Russell Crowe, who plays Superman’s father in the movie, set down in Mykonos during a Mediterranean cruise.

On Tuesday he tweeted: “How is it that I've lived 49 years on this planet but never been to the Greek Islands before. So beautiful. Yassou Mykonos I will return.”

A local film crew shot Crowe breast-stroking in the Mediterranean: “Russell Crowe shows (sic) to go through one of the best periods of his life and in a good shape, though with a few extra pounds excess.”

Crowe is seen chatting to two beautiful young women on a Mykonos beach, overheard telling them he finds the water "cold”.

Crowe started his week in Rome and is now cruising the Aegean as he heads north for Man of Steel promotional commitments.

On Wednesday he posted: “Cruising through the night ... the wine dark Aegean as they say ... dawn will come and I will be somewhere of great spiritual significance.”

And he was.

By Thursday he was in Gallipoli.

"In 1915 we would have been in ear shot of the Turk guns for the last hour. Lest we forget,” he wrote noting that the Turking coastline was "beautiful”.

Later he took time out to ponder and post a photo of Hell’s Spit.

"Brighton Beach, Lone Pine on the right at the top of the hill, looking north to Hell's Spit,” he wrote.

Russell Crowe keeps busy as his world unravels

World falling apart ... Russell Crowe / Pic: Brett Costello Source: The Daily Telegraph

The Daily Telegraph reports

He has kept a relatively dignified silence in the wake of what can only be described as a taxing year, both personally and professionally, for Russell Crowe.

However, the Gladiator star showed his human side, taking time out from tweeting his exercise routine to vent about his increasingly hectic schedule and his desire to return to Sydney to visit his sons Charlie, 8, and Tennyson, 6.

Crowe, who recently wrapped Darren Aronofsky's bible epic Noah, is set to dive straight back into another film - his fourth for the year - when cameras start rolling today on his thriller Winter's Tale.

"Starting on another film set tomorrow. I need to go home & be with my children," Crowe wrote. He added: "Cannot believe how fkd (sic) up my schedule has become this year."

As Confidential reported this week, Crowe is set to cap one of the busiest years of his career with three major film projects already up his sleeve - the Superman remake Man Of Steel, Les Miserables and Noah.

The year has also seen his marriage to long-time partner Danielle Spencer - and his affiliation with the South Sydney Rabbitohs - unravel.

Russell Crowe tipped for 'RoboCop', Darren Aronofsky's 'Noah' movie

 Russell Crowe, Picture: Digital Spy

Simon Reynolds, Digital Spy, reports

Russell Crowe is rumoured to be in the running to star in the RoboCop remake and Darren Aronofsky's Noah movie.

The Oscar-winning Gladiator star is said to be Black Swan director Aronofsky's first choice to lead the Biblical epic based on the Noah's Ark story.

Liam Neeson is being eyed for an unspecified role in Noah, reports Deadline.

Crowe's involvement in Noah may come down to scheduling, as the actor is also being lined up for Jose Padilha's RoboCop reboot.

Variety's Jeff Sneider revealed on his Twitter account that Crowe is "in the mix" for the title role in the action blockbuster.

"They (RoboCop and Noah) shoot at the same time, so who knows?" Sneider said.

Crowe can next be seen starring in The Man with the Iron Fists and Man of Steel as Superman's Kryptonian father Jor-El.

Russell Crowe's weighting game

Danielle Spencer (L), with her husband and actor Russell Crowe and singer Olivia Newton-John at the recent launch of The Star casino (formely Star City) at Darling Harbour, Sydney. Picture: Adam Ward Source: The Sunday Telegraph


Article by JMo and Elle, The Sunday Telegraph

PERHAPS the costume department didn't have time to take in his suit, because we're sure Russell Crowe was looking a lot fitter during his recent Sydney visit than he did on the set of his latest flick, Man of Steel, last week.

The Hollywood heavyweight has been working out for hours a day to shape up for the new role, playing Superman's biological father Jor-El in the blockbuster US film.

He'll star alongside Henry Cavill, as Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane and Kevin Costner and Diane Lane as Superman's adoptive parents.

Shots of him smoking a cigarette in between filming scenes on the Vancouver set showed he still has a bit of a paunch, despite shedding more than 20kg from an intensive fitness and eating regime.

"I'm doing a series of movies and they all require a skinnier version of me this time round unfortunately," Crowe told us recently.

"I think McDonald's have had a drop in their share price since I've been working out."

The star has been keeping his Twitter followers informed of his progress, giving them a rundown of his daily exercise and low-carb diet.

"Protein, vegetables and gluten free anything," he tweeted.