From Guy Ritchie, the writer/director of the acclaimed films "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and "Snatch," comes "RocknRolla," a story of sex, thugs and rock 'n roll. 
The action comedy takes a dangerous ride into high crime and low life in contemporary London, where real estate has supplanted drugs as the biggest market, and criminals are its most enthusiastic entrepreneurs.  But for anyone looking to get in - from small-time crook One Two (Gerard Butler) to shady Russian billionaire Uri Obomavich (Karel Roden) - there's only one man to see: Lenny Cole (Tom Wilkinson).
A mobster from the old school, Lenny knows the right wheels to grease and has his hand on the throat of any bureaucrat, broker or gangster that matters.  With one phone call, Lenny can make the red tape disappear.  But as Lenny's right-hand man Archy (Mark Strong) tells him, London is ground zero for the changing times, with big-time mobsters from the East, hungry criminals from the streets, and everyone in-between, all vying to change the rules of commerce and crime. 
With millions up for grabs, all of London's criminal underworld conspires, colludes and collides with one another in an effort to take their cut.  But as high rollers and petty criminals alike jockey for dominance, the true prize of one multi-million-dollar deal will fall into the hands of a junkie rock star (Toby Kebbell) - Lenny's stepson, presumed dead but very much alive

THE SET-UP
Writer/director Guy Ritchie, who previously explored the rougher edges of London in his debut hit, "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels," and later in his film "Snatch," was fascinated by the infusion of big foreign money--mostly from Eastern Bloc countries--pushing its way into London's old school rackets.  "I wanted to take a humorous look at the consequences of the new school pushing in on the territory of the old school," says Ritchie, who is also a producer on "RocknRolla."  "This film is about trying to get into the property business, which so many people have tried to do, particularly in the last couple of years, because the profits are so vast.  Everyone tries to get involved, and of course there are those that end up stepping onto banana skins."
With new buildings going up almost daily, the city has become an endless construction site and London's skyline has been altered beyond recognition.  "If you go to the top of any tall building, all you can see are cranes," Ritchie describes.  "It looks as though the cranes are breeding.  And property prices continue to rocket.  It goes without saying that because there's so much money involved, there are a lot of people taking advantage of the situation."
Everyone wants in on the action--from the crime kingpin whose days are numbered, to the ambitious Eastern European whose criminal activities are hidden behind a veneer of respectability, to the accountants and bureaucrats counting the money, and, finally, to the small-time cons looking for a shortcut up the ladder of success.  "What I've tried to do is amalgamate all these disparate journeys and personalities, which connect to one big whole," Ritchie explains.  "Inevitably there are connections, but they go through circuitous pathways from the upper tier to the lower and back again. We wanted to represent different facets of our society who are embroiled in this large-scale scam."
Producer Joel Silver was immediately drawn to the intertwining elements of humor and action in Ritchie's edgy tale.  "We had always talked about working together on a movie, and within 24 hours of reading it, I knew I wanted to make 'Rocknrolla,'" Silver recalls.  "Guy's vision is unique and encompasses this dynamic world inhabited by gangsters, rock stars, crooked politicians, Russian war criminals, and everyone in-between."
Producer Susan Downey adds, "'RocknRolla' has everything people love about Guy's movies--the eclectic mix of characters, the interweaving storylines that dovetail in ways you don't see coming, the fantastic ensemble cast, the energy, the distinct visual style…  But it also has an unexpected emotional layer and depth that I think sets this film apart."
Ritchie, says Silver, has his finger on the pulse of the London criminal underworld where his stories live.  "This film offers an affectionate nod to both the old-school gangster, Lenny Cole, and to the up-and-coming wise guys in the Wild Bunch.  But what they're encountering with these Eastern businessmen is entirely new.  They don't respect the old school, and they've got the money and the muscle to change the way things are done in London.  So, the old school will have to adapt to survive.  It makes for a very dynamic story and a lot of wild card elements that just send the action into a whole new realm."

THE WILD BUNCH
Tired of barely getting by on small-time cons, the Wild Bunch is always looking for the big score.  Gerard Butler stars as their de facto leader, a street-smart hustler called One Two, who is looking to play both sides of the fence.  Butler had wanted to work with Ritchie since seeing "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels."  "When I opened the script for 'RocknRolla,' it was everything I could have dreamed of," says the actor.  "The film is thought-provoking, but it has also got humor, violence and silliness."
Ritchie says that the actor possessed all the qualities he envisioned when he created the role of One Two.  "Gerry is that intangible mix of charm and danger, of sincerity and guile."  Once on the set, the director praised the actor's instincts, noting, "Gerry immediately understood what we were doing, which made my work much easier," he says.  "He basically nailed everything on one take."
Butler, in turn, attributes his understanding to the director.  "Guy knew exactly what he wanted and made it easy for us as actors to follow his train of thought.  He's an amazing director."
One Two and his crew--including Mumbles, played by Idris Elba, and Handsome Bob, played by Tom Hardy--want to break into where the real money is: real estate.  "They're all best mates," Butler says.  "They've hung about together for years, been through thick and thin together.  Meanwhile, they're trying to have a bit of a life while they're doing that.  So, that presents its own challenges, including friends that turn out to be not quite as you expected."
Elba describes the Wild Bunch as "entrepreneurs."  "They're opportunists that run around London trying to snatch a piece of the old pie," he says.  "Mumbles and One Two complement each other because they are both opportunists.  Wherever there is an opportunity to cash in, they snatch it up.  In this film, they have a sort of low-life gentlemen's club, a spieler where they all hang out.  That's where they sit down, have a laugh and decide, 'What shall we do that's dodgy today, boys?'  It's quite a hoot.  Guy's got a very interesting sense of humor."
But their first attempt at property speculation ends with them losing it all and owing a large sum of money to Lenny Cole, a crooked London businessman who controls both the money and the local real estate market.  Lenny, played by Tom Wilkinson, backs the Wild Bunch in a property deal…but only long enough to steal it back from them.  "They are just trying to make their way in this world," says Butler.  "They're trying to break into the property market but haven't done very well.  They get screwed on the biggest deal they ever undertake and think they just got unlucky.  And true to the perverse Guy Ritchie humor, that debt comes back to haunt those that screwed them over."
What's worse: Handsome Bob has only 24 hours before beginning a five-year stint in the slammer on an unrelated charge.  His character harbors a particular secret that comes out as he looks down the barrel of a long sentence.  Like the other characters in the film, Tom Hardy says his character is "larger than life."  He continues, "These characters are based in reality, but it's a sort of heightened reality.  Gangsters engage in criminal acts and violence, but these guys are always laughing and goofing off.  They have many sides, though, so it's not such a good idea to underestimate them."

OLD SCHOOL VS NEW SCHOOL
Where the Wild Bunch are small-timers trying for something better, the position they aspire to is occupied by Lenny Cole, played by multiple Academy Award and BAFTA Award nominee Tom Wilkinson.  One of London's old mob regime who has built up a cozy network of crooked bureaucrats and corrupt politicians to help him out, Lenny is now finding himself out of his depth among the wealthier foreign gangsters, who are rapidly moving in on his territory.
"Guy Ritchie has created a world that sits in a very gray area morally," says Wilkinson. "It's not exactly an underworld; it's somewhere in-between the legitimate world and the criminal world.  Lenny Cole is an entrepreneur, a fixer, with substantial criminal connections.  He represents the old-fashioned way of getting things done.  He doesn't quite understand that he's got to move beyond that if he's going to stay ahead of the competition, who are just as connected and just as ruthless as he is."
Lenny runs the underworld with rigged odds and no mercy, aided by his right-hand man, Archy, who has served him loyally for 20 years.  "Lenny and Archy are a direct descendent of the gangsters of the late '50s, early '60s," offers Mark Strong.  "They dress smart; they're presentable.  They're subtle, understated, but menacing.  And, when necessary, incredibly violent."
Into this crucible of London's underworld comes shady Russian billionaire Uri Omovich (Karel Roden), who sets his sights on prime London riverfront for a new commercial complex.  But to ensure a smooth transaction, he'll need the planning to go through fast and without any problems.  For that, he'll need Lenny Cole.
"The problem with Lenny is he's gotten himself in water that's too deep," states Wilkinson.  "He's up against people who are every bit as nefarious as he is, and quite probably cleverer.  His problem is that he simply underestimates who he's dealing with."
Lenny and his gang are "very much a nod back to the old London style of gangster, but that's exactly what gets them in trouble" says Strong.  "Where they come from, it's about respect and understanding who the top dog is, and they think nobody in their right mind would dream of crossing them.  But they come across two separate groups of criminals who don't have that traditional kind of respect and fear for them: One Two, Mumbles and their crew are a more modern version of criminals.  And the Russian element has come into new money, borne of the new capitalism in Eastern Europe, and they can be a much more vicious gang of thugs."
Ritchie agrees that Uri and his type don't play by the same rules.  "The difference is that with the sheer volume of money coming out of the Eastern Bloc, I think that puts Lenny and his kind out of their depth because all sorts of other characters--possibly more suitably designed for the new world--have usurped their position of authority.  They're just not prepared; they're just not qualified, basically, to work in this environment anymore."
Putting another wrench in the works is the Russian's gorgeous accountant, Stella, who decides to crunch the numbers to her own advantage.

THE WILD CARD
Thandie Newton stars as Stella, the smart and sexy accountant with ties to the underworld.  "Stella is extremely good at what she does," Newton describes, "so good, in fact, that I think she's getting a little bored and wants to try and mix things up and make things more exciting for herself. And, of course, there's nothing more exciting for a strait-laced accountant than to get involved in the criminal world."
Her prowess with money has placed her within the inner circle of Uri Obomavich, the Russian billionaire seeking to invest in London real estate.  "Stella captivates Uri in more ways than one," says Karel Roden, who plays Uri.  "She embodies sophistication and he trusts her implicitly with his money, but this trust is perhaps misplaced.  In some ways he can easily dominate this new world he's entering, but clearly not in matters of the heart."
With Uri's impending pay-off to Lenny Cole--money intended to smooth the way for a huge mega-complex he wants to build--Stella sees an opportunity to get inside a whole new network of activity…and knows just the man to help her.  "One Two becomes her puppet, or so she thinks," Newton says.  "But then she falls for him, which compromises her position."
Though initially only partners in a high-stakes swindle, One Two and Stella--two people from opposite sides of the tracks--electrify one another.  "I really like the dynamic between our characters," Butler comments.  "We share some very funny, off-key scenes.  They are definitely sexy, but there is an unusual energy between us and I think that made it different from the typical guy-girl relationship you often get in thrillers."
For Newton, the collaboration with Butler and Ritchie was one of the film's most exciting experiences. "Gerry is just a full-on powerhouse; he has an incredible energy," she says. "He wants to try different ways of doing everything.  And no matter what time of the day or night it is, Gerry is always trying to bring something fresh and new to it.  It was great because Guy is also so confident in the material and so trusting of us as actors that he gives us the freedom to come up with new ideas and to be spontaneous.  To be able to really bring our own ideas to it and make our characters alive, that was getting the best of both worlds.  Guy doesn't just want the surface of a character, he wants there to be real truth to everything and real depth to every character."

THE ROCK STAR
Standing in the way of a deal being made is Uri Obomavich's lucky painting, which he loans Lenny until their deal comes to a close.  When the painting turns up missing, it soon surfaces in the pad of junkie punk rock star Johnny Quid.  To find Uri's painting, Lenny Cole must find Johnny Quid, who, as it turns out, has a family connection to the crossing and double-crossing playing out in London's underworld: he is the stepson of Lenny Cole.
Ritchie offers, "When Johnny was young, he was probably very talented and went to a very smart school.  But he has a gangster as a stepfather, and consequently has spent a lot of time trying to reconcile the polarities of good and evil in his life.  He's asking questions and constantly testing the limits of power, which gets him into trouble."
Toby Kebbell plays Johnny Quid, the latest sensation in London's underground music scene, who is currently rumored to be dead.  "As a musician and singer, he realizes that to be dead would be much better for his record sales," Kebbell explains. 
The collision of Lenny's interest in finding Johnny, and Johnny's missing status, cause nothing but trouble for Roman and Mickey, the two Americans who produced Johnny's last record, played by Jeremy Piven and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges.  Lenny puts the heat on Roman and Mickey to locate Johnny…or face the consequences. 
"Our characters are the good guys in the film, or at least good in comparison with the other characters," explains Bridges, who stars as Mickey.  "Roman and Mickey went to London to get into the music business, but they got more than they bargained for when they got involved with Johnny Quid."
Both actors enjoyed working within the unique world Ritchie created in "RocknRolla."  "What I love about the film is that everyone has their own separate stories, but they all weave together by the end," Bridges comments.
"When I read the script, I just got lost in the world of the characters," says Piven.  "Guy is a lover of language and he made each of the characters incredibly specific.  He loves his thugs and they're not one-dimensional or half-hearted.  And as an American, it has given me a real insight into this world.  Making the film was very interesting for me.  Although he's very collaborative and willing to hear everyone's input, Guy has a very clear idea of what he wants; he loves to get the momentum going on the set.  It was a very fast shoot, which meant you had to be at the top of your game from the get-go."

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
GUY RITCHIE (Director/Screenwriter/Producer) is next set to direct a new big-screen adaptation of "Sherlock Holmes," starring Robert Downey Jr. as the famed detective.
Ritchie was born in London, UK in 1968.  He started in the UK film industry in 1993 as a runner on Wardour Street.  Ritchie eventually moved on to make music videos and commercials before writing and directing a short film, "The Hard Case," in 1995.
In 1996, Ritchie wrote and directed his first feature film, "Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels," which became one of the UK's biggest box office hits.  The London Film Critics Circle named Ritchie the British Screenwriter of the Year for the film, which also received a BAFTA Award nomination for Best British Film.  The film went on to spawn a series of British gangster flicks and helped launch the Hollywood careers of several British actors, including Jason Statham, Vinnie Jones and Jason Flemyng. 
The 2000 hit "Snatch," written and directed by Ritchie, was his second gangster film starring an original cast of Hollywood names, including Brad Pitt, Benicio Del Toro and Dennis Farina.  Another box office success, "Snatch" also brought Ritchie an Empire Award for Best British Director, firmly establishing him as a new visionary in the film industry.
Following "Snatch," Ritchie co-wrote and directed "Swept Away," a remake of the 1974 Italian classic "Travolti da un insolito destino nell'azzurro mare d'agosto," starring Madonna and Adrianno Giannini.  The film was released in the US in October 2002 and worldwide in April 2003.  Prior to "Swept Away," Ritchie had also directed Madonna in "Star," a short film promo for BMW and the video for her single "What It Feels Like for a Girl."
Ritchie's "Revolver," which premiered at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival, took the audience on a philosophical trip through the mind of a dying man.  Although not well received by critics, the film has found a cult audience.
In 2008, Ritchie struck a deal with Nike to direct a short film promo entitled "Take It to the Next Level," which follows the rise and fame of an up-and-coming footballer.  Featuring the industry's best players, the promo went on to be awarded a Golden Lion at Cannes. 
Ritchie has written several other projects currently in development, including an untitled animated film and the epic "The Siege of Malta."  He has also created a comic book series with Virgin Comics, "Gamekeeper," which has been optioned by Silver Pictures and Warner Bros. to be made into a feature film.  Further collaborations with Silver include "Sgt. Rock," based on the DC Comic, in development for 2010


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