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www.ClashoftheTitansMovie.co.uk Go to Wrath of the Titans
In "Clash of the Titans," the ultimate struggle for power pits men against kings and kings against gods. But the war between the gods themselves could destroy the world. Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus (Sam Worthington) is helpless to save his family from Hades (Ralph Fiennes), vengeful god of the underworld. With nothing left to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus (Liam Neeson) and unleash hell on earth.
Perseus sets off on a perilous journey deep into forbidden worlds, leading a daring band of warriors, including Draco (Mads Mikkelsen), an experienced soldier who encourages the defiant Perseus to make use of his god-given abilities. Battling unholy demons and fearsome beasts, they will only survive if Perseus can accept his power as a god, defy his fate and create his own destiny.
Propelling audiences into a mythological world of epic action and adventure, "Clash of the Titans" will be presented in 3D, making the gods even more formidable, the creatures even more fearsome, and taking audiences even deeper into the mythological realm of Perseus' quest.
"Clash of the Titans" is being directed by Louis Leterrier. Leading the international cast is Australian actor Sam Worthington ("Avatar") as Perseus, the mortal son of Zeus, king of the gods. Liam Neeson ("Schindler's List") takes on the role of the mighty Zeus, and Ralph Fiennes ("The English Patient") plays the role of Hades, god of the underworld, who feeds on human fear. Rounding out the cast is Gemma Arterton as Io, Perseus' mysterious spiritual guide throughout his journey; Mads Mikkelsen as Draco, who takes up his sword to join Perseus' quest; Jason Flemyng as Acrisius, a one-time king turned hideous beast; Danny Huston as Poseidon, god of the seas; and Alexa Davalos as Andromeda, a princess doomed to lose her life if Perseus does not succeed.
Louis Leterrier directs "Clash of the Titans" from a screenplay by Travis Beacham and Phil Hay & Matt Manfredi, based on the motion picture "Clash of the Titans," directed by Desmond Davis and written by Beverley Cross.
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
With larger-than-life mythical beasts, breathtaking vistas spanning the depths of hell to the heights of Mt. Olympus, and battles to-the-death between man and the gods, "Clash of the Titans" is a mammoth spectacle that will grab audiences from the first scene and take them on a wild, 3D ride through an ancient Greece only imaginable in the 21st century.
"It's a big, fun adventure, a big escapist movie, and I love escapist movies," director Louis Leterrier says. "The story is heroic, it's mythic, it's romantic, it's about fulfilling your destiny. There's fantasy and fun, and it's a bit scary, too. Add to that an unbelievable cast like Sam Worthington, Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson, and it was truly an exhilarating experience."
With Leterrier at the helm, the stars of the film were eager to step into the mythical world. "I am always a fan of a director who is willing to take risks," says Sam Worthington, who plays the film's central character, Perseus. "Louis' vision for the film was big, bold and heroic. He wanted it to be a thrilling kind of popcorn ride, and I thought, 'Well, that's a good director to go into battle with. I want to be a part of that.'"
Close friends Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes, who play the roles of Zeus and Hades, respectively, agreed. "My kids encouraged me to do it," Neeson says, "and I knew that with Louis and all the incredible computer wizards and technicians they had on the crew, they were going to make this thing just jump off the screen."
"I've always loved the Greek myths and the wealth of things they can do to make special effects really kick ass now, I think, is extraordinary," Fiennes allows. "I also thought the script had a vividness and an epic quality that was really appealing."
A real fan of the original film, Leterrier felt a bit like a kid in a candy store during filming. "1981's 'Clash of the Titans' was one of my favorite movies--it was actually one of the first magical movies I ever saw. I was wowed by it. I jumped at the chance to do my own version."
The director's enthusiasm for the material showed. Producer Kevin De La Noy observes, "Louis has a love of filmmaking and storytelling, and he approached every challenge with humor and a determination to make it work. His tireless energy was an inspiration to us all. He got engrossed in each and every shot; he could see it clearly and he wanted to impart that to everyone. And he got the desired results."
Leterrier wasn't the only filmmaker energized by the subject matter. States producer Basil Iwanyk, "I remember waiting in line for two hours when I was 11 years old--one of the best movie weekends in my life--and seeing "Clash of the Titans" with all of its monsters and battles and princesses and people with swords...things I'd never seen before."
Taking on the task of bringing the cult classic into the 21st century were screenwriters Travis Beacham, Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi.
"I was so happy with what the screenwriters did," recalls Leterrier. "It wasn't just a shot-for-shot remake to be done with modern technology. It maintained the integrity of the original, but it was completely different."
"I loved the original, so this was an irresistible, if intimidating, proposition," says Beacham. "One of the things I loved about it, and myths in general, is that they put familiar human struggles in the context of impossible circumstances, to express things that couldn't otherwise be expressed. Want to save the girl? How bad? Because you'll have to fight this unstoppable monster to get to her. Want to find yourself? You'll have to journey to the edge of the world and back again. Want to rebel against your parents? Well, your dad's a god, so let's see what you're made of."
"We talked a lot about the tone we were going for, trying to make it a fun adventure with a great sense of momentum but with the action rooted in the characters and what they were going through," Hay says.
Manfredi adds, "To us, action only works if it's about emotion. We wanted to use every action beat to reveal who Perseus is in that moment--the action is the proving ground that forges his character and his relationships. It has to have consequences to people we care about."
"It's classic storytelling--literally," says Iwanyk. "It's life and death, betrayal and courage...all played out by and humans and monsters and gods. My goal in reinventing this movie was to give people that same feeling I had as a kid, but with all the advanced technology available today."
Helping to achieve that goal, a new dimension--3D--was added to 2010's "Clash of the Titans." It fit perfectly with the filmmakers' vision. "Even though we weren't shooting in 3D, I designed a lot of the shots with that visual style in mind--stepping into new worlds, big creatures coming at you, fantastic images," attests Leterrier, whose foresight turned out to be quite fortunate. "The conversion to 3D adds incredible depth to each scene, enhancing the story and providing an all-encompassing 'Clash' experience."
A Hero's Journey
In the mythology of "Clash of the Titans," man was created by the gods, and in turn his prayers provided the deities with immortality and strength. And, thanks to man's worship, the gods could rule over him. "It's a little bit of the carrot and the stick," explains Leterrier, "but there's a little too much stick and not enough carrot. The humans are starting to rebel, so there's tension. They need each other, but at the same time, they are at odds." The hero of the film, Perseus, having just lost the only family he's ever known, is torn between the two worlds: that of man, in which he was raised, and the world of the gods, where many believe he belongs. Sam Worthington portrays the demigod who is reluctant to embrace, or even accept, his birthright as the son of Zeus. Read more
Gods and Monsters
Apart from the human characters and in keeping with the mythology of the story, "Clash of the Titans" is filled with mythical beasts and creatures--from the winged Pegasus to the deadly Medusa to the giant, scorpion-like scorpiochs and the ultimate monster, the fearsome Kraken. Creating these creatures involved a blend of practical and visual effects elements. Visual effects supervisor Nick Davis notes, "We were dealing with Olympus and with Hades, so we had heaven and hell, and we had gods and monsters; there were aspects of the fantastical inherent in the story. But at the same time, we wanted it to be photo-realistic. We want people to believe a horse is flying and that harpies are real within the realistic grounding we've given the movie." Read more
In Search Of: Greece, 200 B.C.
"We brought a cast and crew of more than 800 people around the globe to capture a real-world scale," states Leterrier, referring to the far-flung and varying locations utilized for "Clash of the Titans." De La Noy notes, "Louis had a pretty clear vision right from the outset. He didn't want to go entirely into the realm of the digital universe in terms of our world; we clearly had to have digital mythological creatures, but the world the characters inhabited, we wanted to be largely real whenever possible." "Clash of the Titans" did indeed shoot around the world, including some sites rarely seen on film before. The Canary Islands' Tenerife, a tourist destination off the coast of Africa, hadn't seen a major film production in over four decades. Read more
Springing Into Action
"Clash of the Titans" is packed with big-scale, epic action, and to work out the logistics of so many battles, Leterrier turned to stunt supervisor Paul Jennings. "He's an amazing man," says the director. "He assembled this remarkable team of stunt men and came up with fantastic fight choreography. You can tell him you want to see a sword fight like nothing you've ever seen before, and he will come back to you with it." Leterrier quickly learned how to foster a sense of friendly rivalry among his cast, while enabling them to learn the basics that they would need to know to perform. "I encouraged a bit of one-upsmanship," he says. "As the guys were learning swordplay, there was an unspoken contest as to who could be the best. Sam was a great leader, and so was Mads, and soon the rivalry became more like a brotherhood. It was great fun." "I think audiences want to see the characters really going for it," says Worthington. "I loved learning the sword fighting…and putting on a harness and jumping off into a bag of beans is kind of cool." Read more
Transcending the Toga
When discussing the costumes for "Clash of the Titans," Letterier told costume designer Lindy Hemming that he was concerned that Perseus and his entourage of warriors from the City of Argos would have a look which reflected their toughness and strength, and that their limbs, especially their legs, would not be too bare. "I designed several different styles of armor, and most importantly very sturdy leg and arm guards," Hemming says. "All of the armor, both metal and leather, was intended to look as though it had been used extensively in the wars preceding the beginning of the story, so lots of costume distressing and painting was essential, and when we were having the metal armor sculpted, we made sure that there were lots of bumps and sword marks in the molds." Read more
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
LOUIS LETERRIER (Director) most recently directed the blockbuster "The Incredible Hulk," based on the Marvel comic and starring Edward Norton, Tim Roth, Liv Tyler and William Hurt. Leterrier previously directed the high-octane actioner "Transporter 2," co-written and produced by Luc Besson and starring Jason Statham in the title role. Leterrier also helmed "Unleashed," starring Jet Li, Morgan Freeman and Bob Hoskins.
A native of Paris, Leterrier developed a love for cinema at an early age, winning several awards for short films before turning 18 and leaving France to study film at New York University's prestigious Tisch School of the Arts. He worked as a production assistant or second assistant director on such films as "Alien: Resurrection," directed by fellow countryman Jean-Pierre Jeunet; Luc Besson's historical epic "The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc"; and "Asterix & Obelix Meet Cleopatra," adapted from the comic books and directed by Alain Chabat.
TRAVIS BEACHAM (Screenwriter) wrote the screenplay for director Mark Freiburger's 2005 short drama "Booth," about John Wilkes Booth and the assassination of President Lincoln. He next wrote "A Killing on Carnival Row," with Arnold Kopelson producing.
Beacham is currently working on several film projects, including the science fiction feature "The Black Hole," for director Joseph Kosinski.
PHIL HAY & MATT MANFREDI (Screenwriters) previously wrote the screenplay for the 2005 sci-fi thriller "Aeon Flux," starring Charlize Theron.
The writing partners made their screenwriting debut in 2001 with the critically acclaimed drama "Crazy/Beautiful," starring Kirsten Dunst. Manfredi also wrote and co-directed with Hay the independent feature "Bug," starring John Carroll Lynch, which garnered multiple film festival awards in 2002.
Upcoming projects for Hay and Manfredi include the comic book adaptations "R.I.P.D.," and "The Boys" for producer Neal H. Moritz.
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THE ART OF REMAKES
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