Not only was it recently announced that
Kenneth Branagh is to play C J Sansom's Shardlake then news comes via
Digital Spy that he's also taking on the role of Kurt Wallander:
Kenneth Branagh has landed the role of a Swedish detective in a new BBC drama series.
The actor-director will play Kurt Wallander in the £6m production, based on the novels of Swedish writer Henning Mankell.
The 47-year-old will film three 90-minute episodes of Wallander, which is set in the town of Ystad in the Scandinavian country.
He told Broadcast magazine: "Wallander is a wonderfully complex and compelling character and I am excited to be playing this fascinatingly flawed but deeply human detective."
Producer Andy Harries said: "This is more than just a detective series. It's fantastic drama, great stories and an absolutely beautiful setting. Visually these films are going to be very strong. Ken Branagh is perfect for the title role."
The books depict Wallander as a detective in his fifties who is beset by problems including a failed marriage, excessive alcohol consumption and diabetes. He was sued for brutality during his early career and has been known to break the rules when he feels the situation demands it.
and from
The Stage:
Each 90-minute episode is an adaptation of a different book from the Kurt Wallander Mysteries. The three chosen for the BBC series are One Step Behind, Firewall and Sidetracked.
I love Branagh. He can play anything!
ReplyDeleteMy goodness! He probably can play anything but he does not spring to mind for Wallender. Anthony Hopkins would have been better, but he's too old as I read in the paper yesterday he is now 70. Or Michael Kitchin (Foyle's war) but probably he is too old, too.
ReplyDeleteBut someone less glamorous and less mercurial than Ken is needed, someone like David Thewlis (is that his name? Lupin in Harry Potter. Kind of normal looking, and a bit slow and serious.)