Five plugged in for Ritchie's 'RocknRolla'

Five plugged in for Ritchie's 'RocknRolla'


The Hollywood Reporter.com


June 25, 2007


by Borys Kit



Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson, Thandie Newton, Idris Elba and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges have been cast in "RocknRolla," Guy Ritchie's return to the caper genre being produced by Joel Silver's Dark Castle Entertainment.

Butler stars as a One Two, a street-smart mobster who has learned to play both sides of the fence, and Wilkinson is playing the lethal head mobster, Lenny Cole, part of London's old mob regime, which is quickly losing ground to the wealthier foreign mob.

Newton acts as One Two's love interest, Stella, an accountant with ties to the underworld, and Elba acts as Mumbles, One Two's partner. Bridges is playing Roman, an American trying to break into the music scene in London.

Ritchie wrote the screenplay and is directing the movie, which is set in motion when a Russian mobster orchestrates a crooked land deal and millions of dollars are thrown up for grabs, with all of London's criminal underworld players wanting in on the action.

Principal photography began June 19 on location in London.

Silver is producing "RocknRolla" with Ritchie, Susan Downey and Steve Clark-Hall. Steve Richards and Navid McIlhargey are the executive producers, with Lauren Meek serving as associate producer.

Warner Bros. Pictures is distributing.

Butler, repped by CAA, has seen his star rise thanks to the Warners hit "300." He will next be seen opposite Hilary Swank in the romantic drama "P.S. I Love You" and will shoot Walden's family adventure "Nim's Island" later this year.

Wilkinson, repped by Lou Coulson Associates and Principal Entertainment, next stars opposite George Clooney in the drama "Michael Clayton" and will be seen in HBO's miniseries "John Adams."

WMA-repped Newton recently appeared in "Norbit" and "The Pursuit of Happyness," while Elba, repped by ICM, is best known for his work in HBO's "The Wire." Bridges, a Grammy-winning rapper, acted in "Crash" and will appear opposite Vince Vaughn in "Fred Clause," which Silver is producing. He is repped by WMA.


http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3id2115f55118466aafa5465f8cc40df86