Monty Python members are reuniting for a new movie that will combine CGI and live-action. Variety reports that they are reteaming for the sci-fi film Absolutely Anything, which will be directed by Terry Jones and produced by Mike Medavoy. Jones co-directed my favorite Python movie, 1974's Monty Python and the Holy Grail with Terry Gilliam and was the sole director on Life of Brian and The Meaning of Life. He said Gilliam and Python members John Cleese and Michael Palin have joined the project and that they hope to sign Eric Idle.
Jones and Gavin Scott developed the concept for the film over the past two decades. Medavoy produced such Python classics as Life of Brian and will produce along with David Thwaites and Chris Chesser, in conjunction with U.K. partners Bill and Ben Prods.
Production is planned to start this Spring in the U.K., with the Pythons voicing key roles as a "a group of aliens who endow an earthling with the power to do 'absolutely anything' to see what a mess he'll make of things -- which is precisely what happens. There's also a talking dog named Dennis who seems to understand more about the mayhem that ensues than anyone else does. Robin Williams will voice the character."
The five surviving troupe members last appeared together in 1998 at the Aspen Comedy Festival along with an urn that allegedly contained the ashes of late member Graham Chapman.
Here is what Medavoy had to say about the project:
Terry and Gavin have crafted a classic farce -- something I feel I know a little bit about after all the 'Pink Panther' pictures we did with Blake Edwards at United Artists. In fact, the movie even has a pompous Frenchman reminiscent of Inspector Clouseau -- but there the similarity ends. Like all projects originated by any of the Monty Python guys, 'Absolutely Anything' delightfully defies a logline.
Medavoy went on to reveal that the producers are in talks with Williams to play the Frenchman and are actively casting the other leads.
This sounds like a great project for the Pythons. I grew up watching the show on reruns, and enjoyed all of the movies. Live-action and CGI will be perfect for this concept. What are your thoughts on this news?
Source: Variety (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118049265.html?cmpid=RSS%7CNews%7CLatestNews)