I’m not sure what to make of the lovely Gemma Arterton. She’s really only caught my interest in a single film — St. Trinians, if you must know — and in everything else, she’s just sort of … there, sexily positioned, but not that memorable. (I have yet to see Tamara Drewe, that might tilt me one way or another.)
But there’s no doubt many of you with certain chromosomes have an opinion of her. A very wholesome one, I’m sure.
If you lean towards “Yes, yes, more Gemma!”, then you’re in luck as she’s just signed on opposite Jeremy Renner in Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters. According to THR’s Heat Vision, Arterton apparently beat out Eva Green, Noomi Rapace, and Diane Kruger for the role, as is her way. The “Meh, Arterton.” part of me thinks damn, any one of those ladies would be awesome opposite Renner. But just as we didn’t get Green or Kruger for The Green Lantern, so we won’t get them for Hansel and Gretel.
Of course, I can’t really see anything too appealing about this “dark fairy tale” trend (I get my dose in Fables, thanks), but there must be something to this cake-lovin’-kids-turned-bounty-hunters tale for Renner to be involved. (And for names like the rather picky Green to be “possibilities.”) But hey, I like to keep an open mind. Sometimes the most unlikely of movies ends up being the most enjoyable of a given year. I remember liking the idea when Adam McKay and Will Ferrell first mentioned it (they’re producing), but that was before this became the trend to end all trends.
Tommy Wirkola (helmer of the hotly debated Dead Snow) is directing for Paramount and McKay and Ferrell’s Gary Sanchez shingle. They’re rushing to get this put into production because of Renner’s schedule (a little film called The Avengers looms) and to beat Timur Bekmambetov’s Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.
Ok, now might be the time to mention something about how devoid the cultural landscape is. Forget my optimism.