Richard Curtis (Love Actually) all but single-handedly dominated the British romantic-comedy in the ’90s, writing Four Weddings and a Funeral and then Notting Hill (as well as Bean in between).
He made his directorial debut with the much-loved Love Actually back in 2003, and followed it up with the brilliant The Boat that Rocked three years ago, and is set to go back behind the camera this year with About Time, directing from his own script.
We heard earlier this year that Zooey Deschanel was in talks to join the film as the female lead, but THR report that the lovely Rachel McAdams is now in negotiations to take the lead opposite Domhnall Gleeson (Brendan Gleeson’s son) instead.
Described as a fantastical feel-good movie, the film centres on,
“Tim, a young man who comes from a family of time-travelers. When Tim learns of his unique gift from his father, he uses his newfound abilities to change situations for the better.”
McAdams would play Gleeson’s love interest, with Gleeson eventually meeting the girl of his dreams.
Bill Nighy, Tom Hollander, Margot Robbie, Lydia Wilson, and Vanessa Kirby are all set to star alongside them.
Entirely unofficially, and simply considering their fairly similar faces – I can see Bill Nighy playing Gleeson’s father, with Tom Hollander playing a younger version of Nighy that Gleeson meets back in time. We shall see.
The ever-brilliant McAdams was last seen opposite Channing Tatum in the romantic-drama The Vow, which topped the US box office on the Valentine’s Day weekend, and will next be seen in Terrence Malick’s To the Wonder (given its name this week), hopefully later this year.
Production is set to get underway in London next month. No word yet on when we can hope to see this on the big screen, but definitely the sooner the better. I’m a big fan of Curtis’ films – that he’s directed, written, and both (he’s only directed from his own scripts, but still) – and can’t wait to see what he has in store for us next. More as we get it.
