io9: helen mirren

Warren Ellis Weirded Out By Helen Mirren's "Red" Casting, Plus John C. Reilly and Mary Louise Parker Join the Cast

Meredith Woerner — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:00:00 PST

Helen Mirren joins up with Morgan Freeman and Bruce Willis to bring to life the super-espionage graphic novel Red. And nobody could be more startled than creator Warren Ellis.

Variety announced that Helen Mirren has joined the cast of the live adaptation movie of the comic Red.

The Time Traveler's Wife director Robert Schwentke is adapting Warren Ellis' three-issue comic series. The story follows a retied old black ops CIA agent who is forced back into the wild world of espionage, when he finds out he's marked for death. So he's got to rally his old retired CIA buddies to get behind the conspiracy theory surrounding the plot to kill him. With an "old people are so nutty and can murder you with their bare hands" twist. So what does Warren think of the new casting?

Warren Ellis replied via Twitter:

Current casting of the film adaptation of my graphic novel RED: Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman and Helen Mirren. SO WEIRD.

But who will she be playing? Summit hopes Red will be in theaters Nov. 19, 2010.

Update: The Hollywood Reporter just added that John C. Reilly and Mary Louise Parker will also be joining the cast. Reilly will play a paranoid retired CIA agent convinced that everyone is out to kill him, and Parker will play Bruce Willis' love interest, a federal pension worker who gets caught up in his struggle to survive. [via /Film]

New Doctor Who Should Be Female, Say Female Scientists

Graeme McMillan — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 06:30:12 PST

In all the furor about the identity of the next Doctor Who, one group has been notably silent — until now. And, unsurprisingly perhaps, Britain's female scientist demographic is hoping that the next Doctor will be... a female scientist.

This latest casting recommendation comes from the UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology, who suggest that such a move would help inspire future female scientists:

There is a distinct lack of role models of female scientists in the media and recent research shows that this contributes to the under-representation of women in the field. The UKRC believes that making a high profile sci-fi character with a following like Doctor Who female would help to raise the profile of women in science and bring the issue of the important contribution women can and should make to science in the public domain.

To prove that they're serious about the idea, they've set up a Facebook page to promote the idea and even come up with some suggestions of potential Time Ladies, including Helen Mirren and Quantum of Solace's Olga Kurylenko. When reached for comment about the campaign, a BBC spokesman said "Women scientists? Are you insane? Now go back to the kitchen and bring me my supper!" before adjusting his monocle and harumphing.

Okay, maybe that last part's not true.

Flickr Image by Just_Mikey.

'Doctor Who should be a woman' say female scientists [Telegraph.co.uk]