May 17, 2004, Toronto. The Film Works, Eurasia Motion Pictures, Goodweird Inc, Spice Factory and Bjólfskvi›a are pleased to announce that Gerard Butler (Timeline, Phantom of the Opera) has signed to play the lead role of Beowulf in the part-fable, part-horror story BEOWULF & GRENDEL, directed by Sturla Gunnarsson (Rare Birds, Such A Long Journey), written by Andrew Rai Berzins (Scorn, Cowboys and Indians).
BEOWULF& GRENDEL is produced by Paul Stephens and Eric Jordan of The Film Works (Love, Sex & Eating the Bones, Such A Long Journey) and Sturla Gunnarsson of Eurasia Motion Pictures Inc. in Canada, by Michael Lionello Cowan and Jason Piette of Spice Factory (The Merchant of Venice, Bridge Over San Luis Rey,) in the United Kingdom and Fridrik Thor Fridriksson (Angels of the Universe, Children of Nature) of Bjólfskvi›a in Iceland. Andrew Rai Berzins is Co-Producer. Principal photography will take place during summer 2004 in the primordial eastern fjords of Iceland.
Adapted.from the Anglo-Saxon epic poem, Beowulf, that inspired J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord Of The Rings, BEOWULF & GRENDEL is a medieval adventure that tells the blood-soaked tale of a Norse warrior’s battle against the great and murderous troll, Grendel. Heads will roll in this provocative take on the first work of English literature.
Gerard Butler’s rise to success has been swift. The Scottish born actor starred as Andre Marek in Micheal Crichton’s Timeline, and as Angelina Jolie’s love interest in Tomb Raider 2. His latest film, Dear Frankie, premiered this month at the Tribeca Film Festival to raves about Gerard’s performance. Variety said, “(Butler) evokes the romantic heroes of a less cynical era, his dashing good looks and almost impossibly noble character grounded in sober realism…” His next release is the Joel Schumacher blockbuster, The Phantom of the Opera, starring Gerard as the Phantom.
Joining Butler in the role of his formidable adversary, Grendel, will be Iceland’s greatest actor, Ingvar Sigurdsson (Angels of the Universe, Stormy Weather, K-19). Creature design and prosthetic work for the character of Grendel is being done by England’s Nick Dudman (Harry Potter, Batman.)
BEOWULF & GRENDEL is being produced with the financial participation of Telefilm Canada, TMN – The Movie Network, the Harold Greenberg Fund and Equinoxe Films from Canada. Equinoxe will be releasing the film in Canada. U.K. financing is from Movision Entertainment Limited, along with the Icelandic Film Centre and the Icelandic Innovation Fund from Iceland. The film was developed with the assistance of Alliance Atlantis Communications. Foreign sales are being handled by Arclight Films.