'Four Weddings' & 'Love Actually' Mastermind Richard Curtis Returns To Directing With Sci-Fi Comedy-Drama 'About Time'

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by Oliver Lyttelton
January 19, 2012 11:39 AM
7 Comments

Potentially unpopular opinion ahoy: Richard Curtis is a pretty great writer. Don't get us wrong, we don't like "Love Actually" or "Pirate Radio"/"The Boat That Rocked" any more than you do, but "Four Weddings and a Funeral," "Notting Hill" and "Bridget Jones' Diary" make up as good a run of rom-coms as anyone has ever had (particularly when compared to the dismal current state of the genre), and his lower-key, more emotional work on the likes of "The Girl in the Cafe," "Doctor Who" episode "Vincent and the Doctor" and the currently-in-theaters "War Horse," is undervalued.

It's been three years since he last directed a film, the aforementioned "Pirate Radio," but it looks like he's getting back together with the house that Curtis built, Working Title Films, who are riding high off the success of "Senna," "Johnny English Reborn," "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" and "Contraband," for a new project. The Hollywood Reporter say that Curtis will direct "About Time" for the British company, who've backed both his directorial efforts to date, from his own script.

Described as a low-budget time-travel dramedy, the film will again be produced by Working Title toppers Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, and casting is currently underway for a shoot in the summer. Curtis has had a number of other projects on his slate, including penning "Trash" for Stephen Daldry, a reunion with "Blackadder" co-writer Ben Elton, and an untitled script about malaria in Africa, but this seems to have taken precedence.

And it seems like the right sort of move, a low-budget, high-concept kind of project after the bloat of "Love Actually" and "Pirate Radio" will hopefully bring the finished product closer to his earlier works than anything else. We're certainly intrigued to know more, with casting hopefully happening sooner rather than later.

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7 Comments

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David Coplin | June 7, 2012 11:43 PMReply

If Richard Curtis is actually interested in doing something about poverty, I suggest he read
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/povertyandthefoundationofeconomics
Fred | January 19, 2012 4:15 PMReply

Actually many of us (and a genuine plural, not an editorially mandated "us and we" thing) love the hell out of Love Actually AND The Boat That Rocked/Pirate Radio as much if not far more than the trio you deem worthy, so peddle those presumptions on if it makes you feel better but this writer is glad to lead the charge of dissent.
JP | January 19, 2012 3:09 PMReply

Yah, Love Actually is kind of great. Kid in the Octopus suit yelling "We're here!" gets me everytime. And Emma Thompson, Bill Nighy, and Liam Neeson all give pretty terrific performances. Plus, Bilbo Baggins naked in almost every scene!
Piotr | January 19, 2012 1:44 PMReply

Love Actually, actually good.
Boop | January 19, 2012 1:42 PMReply

Yeah, 'Love Actually' has quite a substantial following. Many, many people watch it annually around Christmas.
Ken | January 19, 2012 11:55 AMReply

Is it supposed to be sarcasm that you assume people don't like Love Actually? It's a very good movie.
Rocky Rodent | January 19, 2012 11:45 AMReply

C'mon now. Love Actually is better than Notting Hill.
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