Friday 16 July 2010

War Horse 'to begin shooting in August on Dartmoor'

As Steven Spielberg's World War One drama War Horse gears up to begin filming, the UK's Daily Mail has spoken to the book's author Michael Morpurgo about the adaptation.

He reveals that filming is due to begin in August and may take place on Dartmoor, an isolated, windswept moor in England. (This would make it the first Spielberg-directed film to shoot in the United Kingdom since Saving Private Ryan).

The book tells the moving story of a horse sold to the cavalry and then shipped to France during the First World War, and his young owner's mission to bring him home.

"I know they are filming on Dartmoor and in London,' said Mr Morpurgo, who used his home village of Iddesleigh, near Winkleigh, North Devon, as the location for part of the novel. "I am excited and I hope to go on set and see it."

The author said he was thrilled that Oscar winner Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy were working together on the production.

"They made ET, Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan," he said. "They have made the most exciting films and I am hoping they will do something wondrous with War Horse."

Last month Empire revealed that Emily Watson, Peter Mullan, David Thewlis and Benedict Cumberbatch have all signed on for War Horse, while relatively unknown young actor, Jeremy Irvine, will take the lead.

War Horse traces the friendship between Joey, a farm horse sold into the British army and sent off to serve on the battlefields of France during World War 1, and Albert (Irvine), his young owner. Watson and Mullan play Albert’s parents. Cumberbatch will play military man Major Stewart.

Rounding out the internationally diverse cast are Niels Arestrup (A Prophet, The Diving Bell And The Butterfly) as the grandfather of a young French girl (Celine Buckens) who takes Joey in, plus Nicolas Bro, David Kross, Leonard Carow, Rainer Bock, Robert Emms and Patrick Kennedy. Also in talks to join the cast are Tom Hiddleston and Stephen Graham.

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