The great thing about having a U.K. writer on staff is having someone with a keen understanding of how to traverse the murky waters of U.K. journalism, much of it tabloid schlock. Institutions like the Guardian and the Telegraph seem like reputable outlets to American journos, media and bloggers, but homegrown writers know even these guys’ track records aren’t spotless.
Case in point: earlier this week the Telegraph reported that Joe Wright (“Atonement”) had replaced Danny Boyle to direct the remake of “My Fair Lady,” after his next film “Indian Summer” fell apart, and that his usual muse Keira Knightley would play the Cockney-turned-charmer Eliza Doolittle (Boyle left that project on his own accord a few months ago).
Most U.S. sites took the story at face value, but our writer thankfully looked at this story with deep skepticism despite the rest of the staff thinking, “but isn’t this true?” (the fact that Scarlett Johansson was in the running for this was the tip off in retrospect).
Screenrush U.K. cornered Wright on the red carpet of the London Film Festival and he vehemently protested against the news. “It’s not happening!” he exclaimed. “It’s all a lie.” Wright says the offer to direct the film was on the table, but he quickly passed on it. “I thought about it for a few minutes and then decided not to do it and then suddenly it got into the press that I was doing it. I dunno [why I didn’t take the gig], you read a few scripts and decide what to do…. I dunno,” he said sounding less than enthusiastic about the project.
As for Keira Knightley’s involvement, Wright says she could be in it, but he honestly does not know and he also has no clue who might actually direct it either.