Two time BAFTA winner Gary Oldman hopes to add Ralph Fiennes and Benedict Cumberbatch to his second directorial effort, Flying Horse. Oldman has collaborated with both actors in the past as he co-starred with Cumberbatch in the intriguing but overly complex drama Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (for which Oldman was a Best Actor nominee at the Oscars) and with Fiennes in the Harry Potter series.
Flying Horse, which was written by Oldman, is a biopic of photographer Eadweard James Muybridge. While Muybridge’s accomplishments and contributions to film would provide plenty of material alone, the movie will center primarily on the relentless media gossip surrounding his personal life.
In addition to making great strides in his photography work, Muybridge was accused of murdering a theater critic, Harry Larkyns, who he suspected was having an affair with his wife. Fiennes would take the role of Muybridge opposite Cumberbatch as the deceitful critic Larkyns. Gary Oldman plans to appear in a smaller role as Muybridge’s lawyer. As of now, shooting is expected to begin in early 2014.
Oldman’s first project as director, Nil by Mouth was a success with both audiences and critics, and was the recipient of the Best Screenplay and Best British Film awards at the BAFTAs. The 1997 drama told the story of a working class family living in South East London, and starred Ray Winstone and Kathy Burke.
Since then Gary Oldman has explored many ideas for a second going as director. In 2011 he considered doing a remake, the identity of which is uncertain, with Colin Firth. At one point Oldman had a project focusing on a nymphomaniac that he was interested in. After all these years Oldman has finally come to a decision and chose the biopic. And what a wise decision it was. Audiences’ tolerance for remakes of any kind is waning rapidly, and the life of a sex addict has already been explored by Steve McQueen and Michael Fassbender in Shame.
As an actor, Gary Oldman consistently puts forth his best effort. Even in awful movies like Sin and Red Riding Hood, he somehow manages to bring eye catching charisma into every scene he steps in. Whatever he has planned for Flying Horses, it most definitely will be interesting.