BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » Not Much on This Year?

Tinks · February 5, 2014 12:23 pm

It's struck me that everyone is talking about how big Ben has become but he doesn't actually seem to have much in his schedule this year?
I know Hamlet is a strong possibility and he's maybe setting aside a month or two for that, but the films he's said to be attached to seem not to have acquired funding yet, and those he's been in this past year have been mostly small parts.
I really hope The Imitation Game is well received and gets him a proper shot at some big, critically acclaimed parts but does anyone else feel that the big Hollywood directors look for certain names and certain types of leading men to head their projects?
Fingers crossed for him anyway - he deserved recognition for his talent.

SolarSystem · February 5, 2014 12:55 pm

Well, I think that for Hamlet he'd probably need to set aside more than two months, if you include rehearsals.
As for other projects, I hope he'll decide for new projects with as much care as he did in the past. 'Big Hollywood directors' aren't necessarily guarantors for good movies. I admit, I'd love him to do movies with directors like Soderbergh, the Coen Brothers and several others, but in the end I hope he just stays true to himself and makes his decisions not because of big names but because of good stories.

Tinks · February 5, 2014 1:05 pm

Solar system - Thank you for replying
That's my " worry" really, if I can put it that way.
He's a talent, he really is, but too often those Actors with real talent don't get the work and acclaim they deserve because they don't fit the stereotypical mould.
At the end of the day, he has to make a living, and I'd hate for him to have to end up taking parts in poor movies to pay the Bills, because I believe there's an integrity about him at the moment where he mostly takes parts where he believes in the character he's playing - I'd like to see that really pay off for him.

SusiGo · February 5, 2014 1:10 pm

I absoutely agree with both of you. Honestly, there are not so many good parts for an actor like him in Hollywood and I would prefer to see him in a BBC production anytime to selling out in some under-average US movie. Which I am quite sure will not happen because so far he has chosen his roles with care and always states that he is more an actor than a star.
Btw, I was wondering about this financing thing as well. How can it be that a project has no sound financing two months before filming is said to start? Is it always like that? I have no idea how such things usually work.

gently69 · February 5, 2014 1:12 pm

SolarSystem wrote:
Well, I think that for Hamlet he'd probably need to set aside more than two months, if you include rehearsals.
As for other projects, I hope he'll decide for new projects with as much care as he did in the past. 'Big Hollywood directors' aren't necessarily guarantors for good movies. I admit, I'd love him to do movies with directors like Soderbergh, the Coen Brothers and several others, but in the end I hope he just stays true to himself and makes his decisions not because of big names but because of good stories.

Agree to all points. But I think he still is down-to-earth enough to prefer good stuff. Hopefully.
Well, once he left his way for doing STID. Which wasn't bad but with this he got into the area of "blockbusters".

Tinks · February 5, 2014 1:23 pm

Susigo
I'm not sure about financing either but it seems they get the Actors lined up, maybe do some initial photography and then pitch the package to various companies to get backing for it to go ahead.
That's why I'm sceptical about him actually filming anything in April.
I mean the project with Gary Oldman seems to have been trying for backing for ages - who wouldn't want to put money into a Gary Oldman film???;)

SusiGo · February 5, 2014 1:44 pm

Yes, it is really a bit strange. And I really have no idea why everything has to be such a mystery. With STID, fine, that was about his part, not about him being in the film. But at the moment everything about his plans seems to be quite vague.

gently69 · February 5, 2014 1:46 pm

Ladies, don't make me nervous.

SolarSystem · February 5, 2014 1:48 pm

It really is a bit strange, everytime I go to his IMDb-page things look different. Several projects aren't even listed anymore right now, and it seems as if he's really doing nothing at all in the near future. Can't all be because of "Hamlet"...?

gently69 · February 5, 2014 1:55 pm

And he certainly isn't in the position already to take a timeout.

Last edited by gently69 (February 5, 2014 2:16 pm)

SusiGo · February 5, 2014 2:04 pm

No. I must admit I am a bit worried.

Le Bear Polar · February 5, 2014 2:24 pm

Ahh reading this gets me nervous! I totally know where you're coming from, Tinks, I just didn't know how to articulate that nagging feeling until now. Actually, I thought it wouldn't hurt so much to slow down just a little bit this year, take a breather, maybe give more attention to his personal life. He's been working so hard!

Just went to his IMDb page and noticed for the first time a film in post production called Magik! Another voice work from Ben? But it's set to release in 2016.

gently69 · February 5, 2014 2:25 pm

Probably we are making mountains out of molehills. That he still is considering several more offerings/ options. Can't imagine after the last year with this "damned" good press and publicity noone is interested in him any more.
And yes, Solar, hopefully the stories are good.

SusiGo · February 5, 2014 2:29 pm

Yep, and then he will do three things at a time and we cannot keep in step with his speed. Keeping fingers crossed.

Tinks · February 5, 2014 2:34 pm

Yes - there could be many reasons for the apparent vagueness.
I've seen it said by friends - allegedly - that he frets a bit if he hasn't got constant work lined up. Someone is quoted as saying he was a bit down because he wasn't working and it had only been two days since his last job!
So for all we know it may be a deliberate choice on his part to pick and choose parts from now on and try to tame the workaholic in himself.
On the other hand, there might be something really big coming up that he's not allowed to talk about yet - I really hope so.

SolarSystem · February 5, 2014 2:42 pm

Well, maybe, just maybe, he's also negotiating dates for a possible shooting of S4? Yes, wishful thinking, I know...
Anyway, I'm sure he knows what he's doing, and I'm also sure that he does have offers. We've really seen a lot of him lately, so maybe this spoilt us a bit for more quiet times.

gently69 · February 5, 2014 2:50 pm

Good explanations, Tinks and Solar. I'll take them!

miriel68 · February 6, 2014 8:21 am

Well, may be he is past "fretting" phase: he has got a solid position now and I think beyond auditioning with selfies done on his phone for minor parts in movies like AOC or 12YAS. This was funny and wonderful two or three years ago, but not anymore.And if Blood Mountain and TLCoZ are happening, he will be working non stop since April, hopefully finding some free time at the end of the year to begin new Sherlock episodes! He has done a lot of PR stuff in last two months - this is "work" as well - and while I am not excessively fond of this kind of things, I can see why it is necessary for consolidating his position, especially in U.S.

Davina · February 6, 2014 2:34 pm

They have the last episode of Cabin Pressure to record as well. Be cautious of IMBd because it is not always that reliable. Hamlet from start to finish is very likely to be nearer to three months than two. He'll, without a doubt, be doing the projects he really wants to do. Personally, I think a return to the stage is an excellent idea.

SusiGo · February 6, 2014 2:49 pm

So do I. He has always proven that he can excel in every medium. I will do nearly everything to get a ticket for Hamlet.