Paul W.S. Anderson tackles 'The Three Musketeers'

Paul W.S. Anderson is going from the future to the past.

The filmmaker known for the “Resident Evil” series and “Alien vs. Predator” is bringing the classic tale of “The Three Musketeers” back to the big screen, this time in 3D.

Anderson is producing with Impact Pictures partner Jeremy Bolt and Robert Kulzer of Constantin Film. Constantin, with whom Impact has a joint venture, will finance the production.

The 1844 Alexandre Dumas tale tells of d’Artagnan, a young man who leaves home to become a member of the fighting force of the French king’s royal household. Along the way, he makes friends with three of the force’s best — and most disgraced — members: Athos, Porthos and Aramis, whose creed of friendship is “All for one and one for all!”

Anderson penned the script with Andrew Davies, whose credits include the films “Bridget Jones’s Diary” and “The Tailor of Panama” and a television adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice.” The two have known each other since their days at England’s University of Warwick, when Anderson was a student and Davies a tutor. Anderson sought out Davies, knowing the project needed a script that was strong in character and romance to complement the action.

The intent is for the film to have a contemporary feel, though that does not mean ditching the period setting.

“We are definitely modernizing ‘The Three Musketeers’ without compromising the fun of shooting a period piece,” said Anderson, who hopes to shoot in France and Germany. “But in our film, corsets and feathered hats don’t take center stage. Our version is rich in eye-popping action, romance and adventure.”

A shoot next year with a 2011 release is being eyed. Constantin’s Martin Moszkowicz is executive producing.

“Musketeers” has proved to be a potent tale to recount on the big screen, with versions going back as far as 1903. The more noteworthy adaptations include the 1948 version, with Gene Kelly, Lana Turner and Vincent Price, and Richard Lester’s 1973 all-star swashbuckler that starred Michael York, Richard Chamberlain, Oliver Reed, Raquel Welch and Faye Dunaway.

In 1993, Disney produced an incarnation that starred Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland and Chris O’Donnell. That film also boasted a No. 1 single by Bryan Adams, Sting and Rod Stewart.

Constantin, which partnered with Anderson on the “Resident Evil” series, next releases “Pandorum.”

Anderson is repped by ICM and Key Creatives.

Comments

[GFT]

Its the dude who gave us DEATH RAAACCCE; DEATH RACE was really,really, really good; I'm glad my son forced me to see it.

can someone direct THE KEEP the F. Paul Wilson novel about Nazi-Germans and Zombies (re-animated corpses) Battling it out in Romania? PLEASE. THANK YOU

[GFT]

Hollywood:
Nazis are en vogue
Vampires are en vogue
and Zombies are EN VOGUE. With a remake of THE KEEP (by F. Paul Wilson) in 3-D
Hollywood CAN'T MISS!!!!

thank you

[WTF]

death race was awful. I hope you were being sarcastic.

[Bryan]

Paul Anderson is a dumb hack....