Gyllenhaal freezes time, becomes Prince of Persia

by Xav de Matos { May 21st 2008 at 10:30AM }

Just when you think Hollywood is getting hip to how game movies should be you're pushed down the well of reality. According to the Hollywood Reporter Jake Gyllenhaal, of Donne Darko fame, has been cast as the lead in Jerry Bruckheimer's produced adaptation of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. To be fair, that's not what we're scratching our heads at.

In the announcement Gyllenhaal is said to be cast as Dastan, for the first time naming the Prince since he was imagined by Jordan Mechner in 1989. Joining Gyllenhaal is Gemma Arterton who plays Dastan's love interest--the beautiful Princess Tamina. Yeah, they changed that name too. We don't know why the changes are needed, but we're sure to find out soon.

In the film Dastan and Tamina join forces to prevent an evil nobleman from stealing the Sands of Time, which, remainning true to the game it's based on, allows its wielder to reverse the flow of time.

Directed by Mike Newell, no relation to Gabe, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is set to begin filming in Morocco this July.

[via Big Download]

Tags: casting-call, movies, prince-of-persia

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Britton @ May 21st 2008 10:45AM

I'm. So. Excited.

I love me some Gyllenhaal.

Britton @ May 21st 2008 10:53AM

Mike Newell did Goblet of Fire and that was a hearty Harry Potter film so this could be fairly good. Although, seeing someone like Guillermo del Toro or Alfonso Cuarón (or together a la Pan's Labyrinth?) direct this one might have been brilliant were they not already working on their own projects. Either way, I'll be seeing this for sure!

mikey @ May 21st 2008 11:09AM

no!

go ahead and ruin the movie why dont you.

scaught @ May 21st 2008 12:25PM

God forbid Hollywood cast an actual persian in the role.

James @ May 21st 2008 12:51PM

I know, right!! They should also cast an actual Prince in the role. In fact, they should do away with "actors" altogether and just have "actuals" playing the roles. They can call it "Reality Cinema".

James @ May 21st 2008 2:40PM

Funny you should mention it:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1377352/

Last I heard, this guy -- an actual Prince of the "Persian royal family", though I'm not sure what that means as there is obviously no longer any Persia -- was a strong candidate for the post. http://news.filefront.com/actual-prince-of-persia-favored-for-lead-in-prince-of-persia-movie/

I guess they just felt they needed the star power. If you ask me, Jake is a bit too... uh, pale.

James @ May 21st 2008 2:43PM

Briefly: A, the first follow-up here was a different James (in case that's confusing). B, to spell out my objection to the other James's objection, it's like if they cast a white actor to play a black plantation worker. The problem isn't that they didn't hire a plantation worker, it's that they're going to be putting a white guy in blackface. Similarly, they're casting a really, really obviously non-Persian guy to play a Persian. Whole different ball game.