Les Misérables (2012 film)

Les Misérables
Directed by	Tom Hooper
Screenplay by	William Nicholson Alain Boublil Claude-Michel Schönberg Herbert Kretzmer
Produced by	Tim Bevan Eric Fellner Debra Hayward Cameron Mackintosh
Starring	Hugh Jackman Russell Crowe Anne Hathaway Eddie Redmayne Amanda Seyfried Sacha Baron Cohen Helena Bonham Carter Samantha Barks Aaron Tveit
Cinematography	Danny Cohen
Edited by	Chris Dickens
Music by	Claude-Michel Schönberg
Production company	Working Title Films
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	14 December 2012 (2012-12-14)
Country	Template:Film UK
Language	English

Les Misérables is an upcoming British musical film produced by Working Title Films and distributed by Universal Pictures based on the musical of the same name, which is in turn based on an 1862 French novel by Victor Hugo.

The film is directed by Tom Hooper, written by William Nicholson, Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schönberg and Herbert Kretzmer, and stars Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Eddie Redmayne, Amanda Seyfried, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter, Samantha Barks, and Aaron Tveit. The film tells the story of Jean Valjean, a former prisoner who becomes mayor of a town in France. Valjean agrees to take care of Cosette, the illegitimate daughter of Fantine, and must avoid being captured again by Javert, a police inspector.

Development of Les Misérables began in the late 1980s. After the musical's 25th anniversary concert, producer Cameron Mackintosh announced that the film resumed development. Hooper and Nicholson were approached in March 2011 and the main characters were cast in 2011. Principal photography of the film commenced in March 2012.

Les Misérables is scheduled to be released on 14 December 2012.

Premise

Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), a Frenchman imprisoned for stealing bread, must flee from police Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe). The pursuit consumes both men's lives, and after two decades on the run, Valjean finds himself in the midst of the 1832 June Rebellion in Paris.

Cast

Main characters

• Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, a Frenchman released from Toulon prison after 19 years of imprisonment for stealing bread and failed attempts for escaping from the prison.
• Russell Crowe as Inspector Javert, a police inspector who releases Valjean on parole, then later dedicates his life to imprisoning him again.
• Anne Hathaway as Fantine, a struggling factory worker and mother of her illegitimate child, Cosette. She is eventually forced to turn to prostitution.
• Eddie Redmayne as Marius Pontmercy, a student revolutionary who is friends with the Thenardiers' daughter, Éponine, but falls in love with Cosette. To prepare for the role, Redmayne took singing lessons.
• Amanda Seyfried as Cosette, the illegitimate daughter of Fantine who has grown into a beautiful teenager under Valjean's care and falls in love with Marius.
  • Isabelle Allen plays the younger version of Cosette.
• Samantha Barks as Éponine, the destitute daughter of the Thénardiers who is friends with and secretly pines for Marius. Barks previously played the role at the 25th Anniversary concert and in the West End production from 2010–2011. Taylor Swift had been previously rumored to have been offered the role. Scarlett Johansson, Evan Rachel Wood and Lea Michele were reportedly considered for the role.
• Sacha Baron Cohen as Thénardier, a common thief who is also an innkeeper. He is also the father of Éponine.
• Helena Bonham Carter as Madame Thénardier, the unscrupulous Innkeeper's wife who, along with her husband, houses and abuses Cosette until Valjean "buys" her from them after Fantine's death. She is also the mother of Éponine. Hooper collaborated with Bonham Carter in The King's Speech, in which she portrayed Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. Bonham Carter and Cohen previously co-starred in the film adaptation of the musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
• Aaron Tveit as Enjolras, the leader of a student revolt and a friend of Marius.

Supporting characters

• Colm Wilkinson as the Bishop of Digne, a man who gives Valjean shelter in his church and becomes Valjean's inspiration to become a good man. Wilkinson was the original Jean Valjean in the West End and Broadway musical productions.
• Frances Ruffelle, the original Éponine in the West End and Broadway musical productions, will appear as a prostitute.
• Daniel Huttlestone as Gavroche, a streetwise urchin who helps the revolutionaries.
• George Blagden as Grantaire, a student revolutionary who idolises Enjolras. He is constantly drunk, often delivering his own somewhat depressing philosophy to the other students.
• Bertie Carvel as Bamatabois, a young gentleman who tries to buy Fantine's services and is responsible for her arrest.
• Killian Donnelly as Combeferre, the philosopher of the ABC group.
• Fra Fee as Courfeyrac, the friendly and open student who introduces Marius to the ABC society.
• Alistair Brammer as Jean Prouvaire, the youngest student member of the Friends. Brammer previously played the role at the 25th Anniversary concert.
• Gabriel Vick as Feuilly, the only member of the Friends of the ABC who is not a student.
• Michael Jibson as Foreman, the foreman of the factory in which Fantine works and is fired from.
• Actors playing smaller roles include Ashley Artus, Lynne Wilmot, Kelly-Anne Gower, Julia Worsley, Jonny Purchase, John Barr, Ryan Laskey, Stevee Davies, Jos Slovick, Mary Cormack, Linzi Hateley, Sara Pelosi, Alice Fearn, Alison Tennant, Josef Altin, Caroline Sheen, Hadley Fraser, Gemma Wardle, Katy Secombe, Gina Beck, Adebaya Bolaji, Alexia Khadime, Hannah Waddingham, Daniel Evans, Katie Hall, Adam Searles, Nancy Sullivan, Tabitha Webb, Jacqui Dankworth, Clare Foster, Adrian Scarborough, Kerry Ellis, Alison Jiear, Robyn North, Matt Harrop, Jackie Marks, Iwan Lewis, Alea Young, Sophie Hutchinson, Matthew Corner, Lily Laight, Olivia Rose Aaron, Kerry Ingram and Jamie Muscato.

Production

Development

In 1988, Alan Parker was considered to direct a film adaptation of the Les Misérables musical. However, in 1991, Bruce Beresford signed on to be the film's director

In 1992, producer Cameron Mackintosh announced that the film would be co-produced by Tri-Star Pictures. However, the film was abandoned, leaving it stuck in development hell. In 2005, Mackintosh later confirmed that interest in turning the musical into a film adaptation during the early months of that year. Mackintosh said that he wanted the film to be directed by "someone who has a vision for the show that will put the show's original team, including [Mackintosh], back to work." He also said that he wanted the film audiences to make it "fresh as the actual show [itself]."

The DVD/Blu-ray release of Les Misérables in Concert - the 25th Anniversary confirmed an announcement of the musical's film adaptation. Mackintosh has since stated at a press conference that the plans for the film adaptation were being made.

Pre-production

In March 2011, director Tom Hooper began negotiations to direct Les Misérables from a screenplay by William Nicholson, and to be produced by Cameron Mackintosh. In June 2011, Working Title Films and Mackintosh began production of Les Misérables and that the film is scheduled to begin principal photography in 2012. That same month, Hugh Jackman began negotiations to star as Jean Valjean, and Paul Bettany as Javert. Other stars attached to the project include Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter.

In September 2011, Jackman was cast as Jean Valjean and Russell Crowe was cast as Javert. Said Mackintosh, "Even though I have dreamt about making the film of Les Misérables for over 25 years, I could never have imagined that we would end up with the dream director Tom Hooper, and the dream cast of Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe as the two great protagonists Jean Valjean and Javert. Not only were they born to play these roles vocally, but they thrillingly inhabit this great score. Producing this film with Eric Fellner, Working Title and Universal Pictures is indeed a dream come true and I can't wait to hear the people sing at my local cineplex".

In October 2011, Mackintosh confirmed that Hathaway will play Fantine. He said, "I'd been hoping we could make a film on Les Misérables ever since it opened on Broadway... I've got a marvellous cast so far with Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, Russell Crowe as Javert and Anne Hathaway as Fantine." He added, "We're busy casting the rest of the parts."

In November 2011, Eddie Redmayne joined the cast as Marius Pontmercy. It was also reported that the shortlist of actresses for the role of Éponine included Lea Michele, Taylor Swift, Scarlett Johansson, and Evan Rachel Wood.

In December 2011, an open casting call for the role of Cosette took place in New York City. That same month, Hooper confirmed that the film would not be shot in 3D. "I can definitely announce it's good old-fashioned 2D," Hooper told the BBC at the British Independent Film Awards. He also added that the film would be approximately two and a half hours in length, and that the casting for Éponine and Cosette would be announced soon. Days later, Sacha Baron Cohen reportedly joined the cast as Thénardier. However, a source said that Cohen has not yet finalized a deal for the role. That same day, Aaron Tveit was reportedly cast in the role of Enjolras. Later that month, Jackman confirmed that rehearsals for the cast members were scheduled to begin January 2012 and principal photography would commence in March. A source also confirmed that the cast will have to sing the songs live during filming, rather than using pre-recorded tracks.

In January 2012, Amanda Seyfried was offered to join the cast as Cosette and Taylor Swift was reportedly offered the role of Éponine. Later, however, Swift revealed that some of these reports were not very accurate because she was never officially offered the role. On 12 January, Redmayne confirmed in an interview that Seyfried would play Cosette, and that the long-rumored Helena Bonham Carter would play Mme. Thénardier. Hooper confirmed that he will stick to the musical's essentially sung-through form and will thus introduce very little additional dialogue.

Later that month, the musical's website confirmed that Tveit and Seyfried were cast as Enjolras and Cosette respectively. Later, Colm Wilkinson and Frances Ruffelle were cast in the film, with Wilkinson playing the Bishop of Digne and Ruffelle playing a prostitute. George Blagden was also cast as Grantaire. At the end of the month, Mackintosh made a special appearance during the curtain call of the Oliver! UK tour at the Palace Theatre, Manchester, announcing that the tour's Nancy, Samantha Barks, who played Éponine in the West End production and in the 25th Anniversary concert will reprise her role in the film. In an interview with BBC Radio 4's Front Row, Tom Hooper revealed that Claude-Michel Schönberg will be composing one new song and additional music. The director also expanded on the performers singing live on set, which he felt would eliminate the need to recapture 'locked' performances and allow more creative freedom. More details of this were confirmed by Eddie Redmayne in an interview. He stated that the cast would sing to piano tracks (via earpiece) and that the orchestra would be added in post-production.

In February 2012, casting auditions involving extras for the film took place at the University of Kent's building in Rochester and Chatham Maritime in Chatham. Several days later Mackintosh officially confirmed that Bonham Carter will play Madame Thénardier, "I can tell you that certainly Madame Thénardier is Helena Bonham Carter. I can tell you that. Which isn't shabby. We have the most amazing cast, now we have to make a bloody good film. I have every hope we will." He also announced that the title of the newly created song for the film is "Suddenly" and that it "beautifully explains what happens when Valjean takes Cosette from the inn and looks after her." At the end of the month The Sun reported that the long-rumored Baron Cohen had landed the role of Monsieur Thénardier.

Filming

Principal photography of the film began on 8 March 2012 in France. Filming locations also include Winchester College, Winchester Cathedral Close, the Naval base at Portsmouth, Oxford and Pinewood Studios in England. That same day, the film's release date was moved from 7 December 2012 to 14 December 2012. One week later, Sacha Baron Cohen was officially confirmed to play Monsieur Thénardier and Daniel Huttlestone had been cast as Gavroche. Also, a list of stage actors including Hannah Waddingham, Hadley Fraser, Daniel Evans and Kerry Ellis would have small parts in the film along with actors who previously appeared in different productions of the musical. In April 2012 a replica of the Elephant of the Bastille was constructed in Greenwich. In the novel Gavroche lives in the decaying monument.

See also

• Les Misérables, the original novel
• Les Misérables (musical), the musical adaptation of the novel upon which the film is based

External links

• Les Misérables at IMDb
• Les Misérables at Box Office Mojo