The rumors regarding actors in serious competition to play the title character in Disney’s upcoming Prince of Persia video game adaptation have been eccentric and entertaining, but not very reliable. They’ve ranged from the recently debunked Orlando Bloom story to the casting report that suggested that worldwide audiences would like to see real-life Persian prince David K. Zandi in the role.
Now it’s Jake Gyllenhaal’s time to churn the rumor mill. Latino Review pegs him as the latest recipient of an offer from Disney and Mike Newell. Cinematical talked to Disney and got a “we can’t confirm or deny” which, in standard internet fashion, is being considered as good as a nod in the affirmative.
As anyone who’s played the acrobatics-heavy games would hope, the role is expected to be a highly physical one. Script reports suggest a heavy dose of parkour, which sounds about right. Casting doubt on the story in Gyllenhaal’s recent ankle injury, which could hamper the summer start date.
Of all the recent and upcoming video game adaptations, Prince of Persia is the one with the most crossover potential. It’s a broad, accessible and possibly even old-fashioned (in concept, at least) story that doesn’t rely on guns or horror. If (if!)Newell and Disney get it right, they could have something that approximates another Pirates of the Caribbean, and this time there’s enough of a preexisting story arc that a trilogy, should returns support it, wouldn’t be out of the question. Granted, some of that existing story is terrible, not to mention hated by Prince creator and executive producer Jordan Mechner, but that still makes it a sight better than most of the Pirates series.
We don’t know yet if this would be a one-picture deal with options, or if Disney’s going to plan for the future with a multi-picture deal.
16 comments
David Belle from B-13 would be perfect for this. His salary wouldn't eat up the budget and he'd have a real undiscovered feel to the role so as not to overshadow the part. You know he can kill with the Parkour and can probably bring more to table on that side of the choreography. As much as I like Donnie Darko over here, he just isn't right for the part.
Yeah, Gyllenhal is way wrong for this part. He's just too American looking to pull it off. This is the Prince of Persia, not the boy next door.
I don't know how I feel about this..And for the first time ever, I really really think that an actual person of the Persian/Iranian/etc ethnicity should play the prince.
Gyllenhal? This is "Prince of Persia", not "Prince of Pussies"!
Now, 'scuse me while I shimmy down the street like a badass.
Mike newell? I thought michael bay was gonna direct this? Well, fuck….by the way, why does colin farrell keep coming to mind when i picture this role
The character in the games is so void of any distinguishing Persian characteristics, casting a clearly white, American actor wouldn't be too bad a choice. Throw him in a tanning booth, have him cut weight for a few weeks, and grab the stun team behind "District B13" and you've got your blockbuster right there.
Mind you, it's not an adaptation of the real "Prince of Persia", i.e. Jordan Mechner's immortal game, but rather of those shitty modern "Sands of Time" games, i.e. the only Prince of Persia titles that moronic kiddies ever heard of.
@Wild Hog: Mechner was fully involved with 'The Sands of Time', just as he wrote the first draft of the screenplay for this film and remains involved as an exec producer.
Only choice for me is Tony Jaa if he could speak english
David Belle from B-13, as has been previously mentioned, is the only logical choice. The guy helped to create Parkour and the Prince looks like an illustration of the guy. He can act, he looks the part, he helped to invent Parkour, give him the damned part.
Jake is a decent enough actor, but he's all wrong for this part.
Boy, if they miscast the Prince of Persia, what will we do!?! I know it's a shitty video game, but they gotta get this right. I mean Jake Gylenhol? I know he's actually a good actor, but he's wrong for the part.(You know the Prince of Persia, from the video game) What we need is the guy from B-13. He's got chops! And he looks like the Prince of Persia, you know from the video game. In conclusion, everyone who posted in this talkback( 'cept Tobey Maguire) should be sterilized. Take one for the team!
as everyone else has said, during all of B-13, I couldn't help but think this David Belle fellow looked a lot like Jake Gyllenhaal, and then I started to imagine Jake Gyllenhaal jumping from the top of my car onto the roof of my garage and smashing through the window of my bedroom, directly onto my bed. With soundtrack by Fatboy Slim.
@rocko—imaging David Belle smashing onto your bed?….no comment
Wild Hog, you obviously haven't played the "Sands of Time" game because it's absolutely killer.
It was all about solving puzzles and using your brain to survive with only a light dose of combat.
The sequels to the SoT, on the other hand, should be ignored completely – they're terrible.
I think Who Gives A Shit would make an excellent Prince of Persia.
The first two of the three new POP games are great, and as others in here have said, is there a choice besides David Belle. The only guy who has the look and skill to bring it off.
Does he speak English well enough?
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