Stuart Beattie’s I, Frankenstein begins in Australia in January
Australia is to be the location for director Stuart Beattie’s production of feature I, Frankenstein which starts filming in January, co-producer Hopscotch Features today announced.
Beattie directed Tomorrow When The War began as well as writing, Australia, Pirates of the Caribbean, Collateral and G.I Joe. For the latest project, he has adapted the script from the graphic novel of the same name by Kevin Grevioux, co-creator of the Underworld franchise.
The project is a co-production with Lakeshore Entertainment. It features Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight, Rabbit Hole) as the monster, Adam Frankenstein.
Beattie said: “Mary’s Shelley’s story is about the creation of the first human being. This is the story is about that being becoming human.”
Lionsgate Films will distribute the film in the United States, Lakeshore will handle international sales and E1/Hopscotch will distribute in Australia
In the announcement, the film is described as “A modern-day epic: Frankenstein’s creature, Adam, has survived into the present day due to a genetic quirk in his creation. Making his way to a dark, gothic metropolis, he finds himself caught in an all-out, centuries old war between two immortal clans.”
Troy Lum of Hopscotch said: “We have wanted to work with Stuart on a big film in Australia and when we had the opportunity earlier this year to expand our relationship with Lakeshore on the creation of a potential franchise, it all came together.”
Tom Rosenberg of Lakeshore said: “We’ve tremendously enjoyed making our Underworld franchise films and we are looking forward to working with Stuart and our partners at Hopscotch and Lionsgate to create a new world for a legendary character.”
Beattie was due to start filming the sequel to Tomorrow, When the War Began last month for Omnilab but a spokesman for the production company said that Tomorrow 2 is still a live project, but with no announcement as yet for a production date.
Rumours on the web had Underworld 3 director Patrick Tatopoulos to helm the production in 2010 when Lakeshore first acquired the rights. At the time, Grevioux said to expect, “Any number of vampires, werewolves, Dracula, zombies, ghosts, goblins. Regardless of saying that, it’s going to be totally serious. It’s going to take itself seriously, but not take itself too seriously and it’s going to be cool. It’s basically one of the things that horror fans, like myself, have been wanting to see for a long time.”
