'Artemis Fowl' Latest News: Disney Terminates Harvey Weinstein as Producer
Harvey Weinstein is out of the upcoming fantasy movie "Artemis Fowl" as producer. Disney terminated him following the expose that he sexually abused women in Hollywood for years.
Weinstein's Miramax originally planned to develop "Artemis Fowl" for the big screen at the height of the success of Harry Potter. Progress stalled, however, when Weinstein sold his stake on Miramax but Disney retained his services as the film's producer when it bought the rights to "Artemis Fowl."
The movie has been back in development since Disney plotted its theater release for Aug. 9, 2019. Casting for "Artemis Fowl" also started with director Kenneth Branagh at the helm.
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Disney, however, decided to sever its ties with the producer in light of the Weinstein scandal. The decision came just as Disney CEO Bob Igler slammed Weinstein for his "abhorrent and unacceptable" behavior.
Eoin Colfer wrote and first published the "Artemis Fowl" in 2001. There are eight stories in the book series about a troubled 12-year-old boy (Artemis) who demonstrates intelligence and superpowers, which he uses to terrorize his victims.
Artemis starts off as a villain in the story who slowly comes to his senses and realizes he can do some good in the world. His journey of self-discovery begins when he kidnaps the fairy Holly Short.
Dame Judi Dench is the first actor in talks to board the "Artemis Fowl" movie adaptation at Disney. The project will reunite Dench with Branagh following their work on the "Murder on the Orient Express" remake. Dench and Branagh also worked together on the West End stage play "The Winter's Tale."
Meanwhile, "Artemis Fowl" is still searching for the boy who will play the title role. He must be around 9 to 12-years-old and can speak with an Irish accent. The producers specified no ethnic background. Open call casting started last September and will proceed until October in Dublin, Galway, and Cork in Ireland.
