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Liam Neeson Joins Clash of the Titans. Or Is it Ralph Fiennes?

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Trade News | Comments (52)

ralph_fiennes_01.jpg

The cast is shaping up for Louis Leterrier’s Clash of the Titans, a remake of the 1981 film version that focuses on the myth of Perseus. Yesterday, it was announced that Ralph Fiennes is in negotiations to play Hades, while Liam Neeson is set to play Zeus. This is my worst nightmare, because I can barely tell the two guys apart, and rarely remember which one was in which boring dramatic thriller. It’s like putting Albert Finney and Brian Cox in the same Bourne trilogy — it took me a few minutes to realize that Cox had not come back to life in the third film. This is even worse because the two will be battling one another — like Ian McKellan and Christopher Lee in Fellowship of the Rings (ahhh: Too much old-man white beard).

Older white men all look the same.

Anyway, Fiennes and Neeson join a cast that already includes Gemma Arterton as Io, Sam Worthington as Perseus, Alex Davalos as Adromeda, and Mads Mikkelson as Draco (no relation to Harry Potter’s Draco Malfoy). Fiennes will have to fit Clash of the Titans into his busy schedule which includes either Voldemort in Harry Potter or Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia (one or the other; Neeson will be in the other one). The Titans script will be written by Lawrence Kasdan (Mumford, Return of the Jedi) and four other guys, including Eagle Eyes’ John Glenn.









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Comments

"Older white men all look the same. ..."


Nothing like some old school Pajiba hipster-racism.

/Nice

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at April 9, 2009 10:03 AM

Older white men all look the same.

Uhm... hot? If only.

Posted by: twig at April 9, 2009 10:07 AM

"Older white men all look the same. ..."

Dustin, how Pookie of you.

Posted by: BWeaves at April 9, 2009 10:10 AM

"Older white men all look the same."

Bite my wrinkled ass.

Oh, wait ...

*finds ass with both hands*

Ahem: Bite my taut, firm, smooth ass.

Posted by: , (the commenter formerly known as bucdaddy) at April 9, 2009 10:11 AM

I'm really happy I'm not the only person totally thrown off by the Finney/Cox connection. It also took a three-night Bourne marathon a few months ago for me to finally realize that the majority of Ultimatum takes place chronologically before the final scene of Supremacy. Yeah. It's the helter-skelter cinematography that's been throwing me off.

Posted by: G.O.B. at April 9, 2009 10:11 AM

Hmmm. It's not sounding like a remake at all, not that that's bad, it's just something else.

Posted by: Jay at April 9, 2009 10:13 AM

Pajiba's Dustin Rowles:

Little known web personality, Ryan Reynolds enthusiast, communist....Black Panther !?!?!?!?!?!?

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at April 9, 2009 10:14 AM

Is it wrong that I have never seen the original? It seems like something I would like. Is it the one with the skeletons, or is that another one? Jason and the Argonauts, I bet.

Speaking of Finney, my daughter is totally obsessed with Annie. I couldn't figure out who the hell played Oliver Warbucks, and I was determined to figure it out without looking it up. I failed.

Also, my son Oliver is now nicknamed Baby Oliver Snorebucks.

Posted by: Snath at April 9, 2009 10:16 AM

I can only imagine the smell on set. Vitamins, pee and pampers.

And Bengay.

Posted by: admin at April 9, 2009 10:16 AM

And Bengay.

Posted by: admin at April 9, 2009 10:16 AM
---------------------------------------------

....and Viagra sex stank.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at April 9, 2009 10:19 AM

Are they going to find a way to sneak in a Harry Hamlin cameo? As a bonus, they might then be able to get Lisa Rinna to play a fake-lipped Medusa.

Posted by: branded at April 9, 2009 10:19 AM

Snath: I loved the original Clash of the Titans. Growing up, my brothers and I used to act out the battle against the Kraken by beating up a tree with swords (two-by-fours).
True story.

Posted by: SilverDeb at April 9, 2009 10:21 AM

I never realized that Albert Finney was Daddy Warbucks. Never. My mind is blown.

I HATE that movie, god how I hate it. I was terrified of Miss Hannigan as a child, and it has stuck with me since.

Posted by: Julie at April 9, 2009 10:26 AM

As long as they have that mechanical owl Bubo, I'm in.

Posted by: krix at April 9, 2009 10:33 AM

Is it wrong that I have never seen the original?

Yes.

Posted by: Jay at April 9, 2009 10:33 AM

you mean, r2-bubo?

Posted by: gp at April 9, 2009 10:34 AM

I'm only sad that Burgess Meredith never tells Perseus that women weaken legs when he gets it in his head to go after Andromeda.

Posted by: Jay at April 9, 2009 10:34 AM

Not that Julie would get that reference.

Posted by: Jay at April 9, 2009 10:35 AM

Do you KNOW why this shit won't work? DO YOU?

The original had Sir Lawrence MOTHERFUCKIN' Olivier, Ursula EPIC TITS Andress, Burgess Meredith, ACTING, like that shit was real. This bullshit is just ...just, Troy II: We Have More CGI and We Are Going To Ass Rape Your Memories Until You're So Fucked Up You'll Start Doing Porn"

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at April 9, 2009 10:36 AM

...I don't Jay.

Sad face :( What is it, I must know!

Posted by: Julie at April 9, 2009 10:37 AM

Mind you Larry was a total whore by that point, but he still made "The Jazz Singer" that much more epic.

Posted by: Jay at April 9, 2009 10:37 AM

....and Viagra sex stank.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at April 9, 2009 10:19 AM
---
Don't hear the women complain, do you?

Posted by: , (the commenter formerly known as bucdaddy) at April 9, 2009 10:38 AM

Ahem.....

I was referring to Burgess Meredith's character in ROCKY.

Posted by: Jay at April 9, 2009 10:38 AM

Hades and Zeus are brothers, so that's actually kind of awesome.

Posted by: embertine at April 9, 2009 10:40 AM

I keep thinking that Statham ad is the "Seventh Seal" Death.

Posted by: Jay at April 9, 2009 10:41 AM

Hee. The bold made me laugh. Ah my secret shame, my Rockyless existence.

Posted by: Julie at April 9, 2009 10:42 AM

My problem was always telling Christopher Lee from Frank Langella.

Posted by: Bucko at April 9, 2009 10:45 AM

Easy. Langella is talented and good, Lee is talented and PURE EVIL.

Posted by: vikky at April 9, 2009 10:53 AM

...he will also be betrayed by Darth Sidous

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at April 9, 2009 10:57 AM

Yesterday it was Rowles making the outrageous statement “White boy day on the set of Iron Man2," and now today it’s “Too much old-man white beard,” followed by this gem “Older white men all look the same.” in all my time here I’ve never made such outrageous statements as these, I’m speechless to say the least. Please Rowles, don’t go down that slippery slope of hate.

Posted by: Pookie at April 9, 2009 11:00 AM

"Another gift of the Gods!"

Posted by: OldSchool60 at April 9, 2009 11:02 AM

Clash of the Titans was from 1981? I thought it was from the late 60s. Great movie, but the visuals, even the camera work, are dated as hell.

Posted by: Lucas at April 9, 2009 11:27 AM

As long as they have that mechanical owl Bubo, I'm in.
Posted by: krix at April 9, 2009 10:33 AM

Ha! I loved that damned owl. Oh, how I wished as a child that they made a toy of him. They still made metal toys then, you know. If done the way I wanted it to be, good gods that would've been awesome.

I think this is the first remake I'm actually not completely destroyed by. I love the 1981, but I won't mind seeing an updated version (as long as they keep the lightheartedness that was there and don't make it all dark and doom and gloom). Ray Harryhausen's critters will always hold a special place in my heart, but I will enjoy seeing the Kraken done in more modern effects. And now, Neeson and Fiennes, in th same movie? That I love the story of?

I am not displeased.

Posted by: Anna von Beaverplatz at April 9, 2009 11:54 AM

If they even keep the Kraken, or Cetus/Ketos, or whatever the hell version of the myth they plan on telling.

Damn right I want a sea monster though, though who will take up Maggie Smith's bitchface mantle?

Posted by: Jay at April 9, 2009 12:20 PM

Yeah, there needs to be a Kraken update. I just googled it, and holy crap was that thing crappy.

It wasn't even a real a "kraken." Just a large pissed off mergorilla with four arms. If they're going to really use the Perseus story, they should make the monster Ceto and be done with it.

Posted by: Snath at April 9, 2009 12:24 PM

The only part of the first one I really liked is the Medusa sequence, so I'm kinda looking forward to this remake, as long as the guy playing Perseus is hot, and there is no mechanical "comic relief". Gonna miss that Harryhausen touch tho. I just loved that animation when I was a kid.

Posted by: Chickaboom at April 9, 2009 12:46 PM

Dustin, if you were a woman, you could easily tell Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson apart. Ralph is slightly hotter in a certain society sort of way (as long as he isn't in Voldemort costume), and Liam is ever-so-slightly more everyman/pedestrian with a sweet kick of accent on the side.

Speaking of the Fine Fiennes, brother Joseph was interestingly different in The Escapist.

Posted by: Cindy at April 9, 2009 12:49 PM

The "kraken" is what they call my reproductive implement.

i.e. my penis.

or is that e.g.?

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at April 9, 2009 1:21 PM

When will men learn that women aren’t turned on by some guy talking about his sex organ. Grow up people.

Posted by: Pookie at April 9, 2009 1:27 PM

In college, my roomie and I coined the phrase "Harry Hamlin-ing" someone. I had always loved Clash of the Titans, even had the board game at some point, and made her watch it at every available opportunity. Then I asked her if she had ever noticed Hamlin's girly silver-dollar sized nipples. Any split second he was on screen drew her eyes down to his chest, regardless of whether or not he was swathed in a toga or shirtless. It was the only thing she could look at, and she had no control over it.
So, to "Harry Hamlin" someone is to draw their attention to a detail that is routinely overlooked (preferably something juust off, like the way someone says a word, or an ear being higher than its mate)-- thereby totally ruining the way that person perceives the object.
I hope I've "Harry Hamlined" some of you :)

Posted by: tammyfaye breakher at April 9, 2009 1:27 PM

I'm torn about this remake. On the one hand, it's an awesome story that could benefit from some good CGI, a better cast and none of that 70s stink. And no Hairy Hamlin. On the other hand, I found the creepy stop-motion monsters completely terrifying as a kid, and they're still pretty scary today, so who knows how a CGI fest would do it.

But Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes together again?

SIGN ME UP.

Posted by: figgy at April 9, 2009 1:37 PM

Older white men DO tend to look alike even to white me--put them in suits and business haircuts and I'm fucked.

/face blindness win

Posted by: Natural 20 at April 9, 2009 1:45 PM

This should be a Comment Diversion:

Actors you always get mixed up. Mine? Jim Broadbent and Tom Wilkinson. I never get their names right.

Posted by: figgy at April 9, 2009 1:57 PM

John Heard and William Hurt. And then I mix up the name of John Hurt (who doesn't look like the other two).

Posted by: Cindy at April 9, 2009 2:17 PM

Something I've never been able to figure out - how the fuck does Ralph Finnes pronounce his first name?

Posted by: Jeni at April 9, 2009 2:23 PM

"Rafe"

So, to correctly pronounce his name you'd have to say "Rafefines" or just "Rayfines". Weirdo. I like his brother better, anyway.

Posted by: figgy at April 9, 2009 2:28 PM

Thanks, figgy. If that's how he pronounces it, why can't he spell it like that? Why is that too much to ask?

Posted by: Jeni at April 9, 2009 2:40 PM

Aw, you know how they do in England, Jeni.

Posted by: Jay at April 9, 2009 3:00 PM

Pirates! Motherfuckin’ Pirates! Am I to understand that some bullshittin’ third world pirates got our navy tied up in a pickle? Blow their asses up and be done with that shit. Fucking pirates, nigga please!

Posted by: Pookie at April 9, 2009 3:18 PM

i.e. = that is

e.g. = for example

Posted by: Recondite at April 9, 2009 3:20 PM

BSlim, are you going to sit back and let Recondite sass you like that?

Posted by: Pookie at April 9, 2009 3:56 PM

At the moment I can't read anything about Liam Neeson without thinking "Oh GOD this guy just lost his wife so tragically!" It's SO SAD. I can't get over thinking about how broken up he must be.

That being said, Ralph + Liam + Mikkelsen = I'm there.

Posted by: Mimi at April 9, 2009 4:00 PM