‘Clash of the Titans’ Picks Up Bond Alums Arterton and Mikkelsen

Posted by Dr. Cole Abaius (cole.abaius@filmschoolrejects.com) on April 1, 2009

Gemma Arterton Cast in Clash of the Titans

I can’t say that I’ll really be excited about anything involving this remake of the truly, truly brilliant Clash of the Titans until I hear that Phillip Seymour Hoffman has been cast as Bubo. While we wait for that, I’ll have to muster some enthusiasm for Gemma Arterton, Mads Mikkelsen and Alexa Davalos being cast in the project being directed by Louis Leterrier.

Arterton and Mikkelsen both come from the Bond pedigree – appearing as the red-haired, eye-candy in Quantum of Solace and the bleeding-eye, ball-torturer in Casino Royale respectively. Arterton will be playing Io – a priestess who plays a pivotal role in the film by bringing the Pegasus to Perseus and who, in mythology, was turned into a cow after engaging in sweet love making with Zeus. Mikkelsen will ride along Perseus’ side as Draco, the leader of the Praetorian Guard.

The Hollywood Reporter is also Hollywood reporting that Davalos – who just appeared in Defiance - will play Andromeda, the main love interest.

It may actually be the right time for a remake of this story, since it’s been over twenty years since the flick was first released (on the same exact day that Raiders of the Lost Ark came out), but part of me just doesn’t want to see anyone try replace the genius of what Ray Harryhausen did with what will probably end up being CGI. Maybe I’m not giving it a fair shake because I’d rather see Harryhausen with a consultant credit. Can you blame me? How ridiculously amazing was the Medusa sequence in the first version? Exactly.

I know there’s been a lot of speculation about this project, a lot of story details and more casting to work out. However, Film School Rejects can definitely confirm that Sir Laurence Olivier will not be appearing in this film since he died in 1989.

What do you think? CGI vs Stop-Motion?


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  • Dengar
    I loved the original and Harryhausen' work was brilliant. I still have a re recurring nightmare of that Medusa scene as well as that weird Cyclops from the Sinbad movie. There's no way they can create the same feelings with CGI. Why are Tool videos so friggin creepy/awesome?

    They need to create CGI effects that up the realism yet still keep the stop motion effects of Claymation. Or they need to pay homage to what Harryhausen did alla Peter Jackson's King Kong and the T-Rex fight.

    It's gonna be tough. I still can't wait for this though. But is Hoffman going to be wearing an Owl costume, cause that's what I'm picturing.
  • I just hope Louis Leterrier can deliver a solid action film...this time more Incredible Hulk than Transporter...the cast so far is impressive so that isn't an issue...
  • I hope they conitnue to fill out the cast with characters that match their name sakes in the film. Lets face it, Olivier was a good actor but he was much too old to be playing Zeus who as a vain god in the myths always portrayed himself as a handsome young man.

    My opinion is also that they pay some homage to Harryhausen and have some of the creatures resemble his creations but with more life. Realism is the key here, so they shouldn't just grab anyone to do the CGI.
  • While Ray Harryhausen's stop motion effects hold up as a great example of the art, I would never use the word brilliant to describe 1981's Clash of Titans. The acting is abysmal and no amount of special effects can save that film as anything more than a sort of archive of Harryhausen's work. Something's wrong with a film when the stop motion animations have more life in them than the actors.
  • I may be the only one but I don'tw ant this to be remade. I remember watching this in middle school and have loved it ever since. It is so corny with the effects you have to lovei t. Do not make this again.
  • You're not the only one. I really don't see how it can be remade and be as good. Its charm was the corny acting, the corny effects... and none of that was on purpose. You'd have to be exceedingly brilliant to purposely do that again, and NOT have it go completely over the top. Don't mess with cult B-movie perfection.
  • Dengar
    I was mainly referring to Harryhausen' contribution as "brilliant". The guy was a master of his craft and deserves respect. Sure the acting was terrible, there are a lot of terribly acted films that still rule.
  • Back when I was a kid, every weekend was spent at the movies. Harryhausen was brilliant and the effects were great "for that time". I'd like this movie remade CGI or not.
  • I was referring to the article calling Clash of the Titans a "truly truly brilliant film".
    Harryhausen's work in it is, as I said, a fine example of stop motion work.
    But the film doesn't approach being brilliant, in my opinion. It's a pretty bad film with the exception
    of Harryhausen's work.
    To me it's way overstated to call the film brilliant.
    It's interesting that it was noted that "Raiders of the Lost Ark" was released the same year. While I wouldn't call it brilliant either, there's no doubt it's held up as a film far more than Titans ever could.
  • Sengo
    'Clash of the Titans' Remake has been buzzing around for awhile. Last year a group of some stop motioners put together a video appeal, to use State of the Art Stop Motion, as an homage to Ray Harryhausen. It's likely they may not according to recent buzz, and will use the use the same ol' overused formulaic CGI Animation techniques. Here is YouTube video .....

    'Clash of the Titans' Remake (Appeal)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPe-M6E8nbk

    P.S. 'Clay Animation' is a different form of Stop Motion. Ray Harryhausen did Stop Motion using intricately constructed poseable rubber skinned miniature puppets (not clay).
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