According to Variety, five-time Emmy nominee Lena Headey (Game of Thrones) and Academy Award-winning veteran actor Michael Caine have signed on to star in Sky’s forthcoming new film adaptation titled Twist, based on legendary author Charles Dickens’ classic novel Oliver Twist. In addition to Headey and Caine, newcomer Raff Law, who is Jude Law’s 21-year-old son, has also been cast for the titular role.
“‘Twist’ is Dickens’ classic tale as you’ve never seen it before. Daring, modern and packed full of the greatest British talent, this co-production demonstrates Sky’s ambition for original films,” Director of Sky Cinema and acquisitions at Sky UK & Ireland, Sarah Wright said.
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Twist is being described as a gender-bending film adaptation that will re-imagine Oliver as a streetwise artist living on the streets of modern-day London. In the film, a chance encounter with a gang of grifters, led by the charismatic Dodge, propels Twist into a high-stakes heist to steal a priceless painting for master thief Fagin (Caine) and his psychopathic business partner, Sikes (Headey).
“Fagin is such an infamous character, it’s going to be great fun playing him. I’m really looking forward to working with Lena, Raff and the rest of the cast in London when we start shooting.” Caine said in a statement.
International pop star and actress Rita Ora (Detective Pikachu), Franz Drameh (Legends of Tomorrow), Sophie Simnett (Daybreak) and David Walliams have also joined the cast with Ora portraying the role of Dodge.
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Twist will be directed by Martin Owen, who co-wrote the screenplay with John Wrathall and Sally Collett. It will be produced by Matt Williams, Ben Grass, Jason Maza and Noel Clarke. The film is a production by Unstoppable Film and TV, Posterity Pictures and Puregrass Films. MEP Capital, Blue Rider, Lipsync Productions and Arclight Films are financing the project with Archlight also responsible for the film’s international sales.
(Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage and Dan MacMedan/WireImage via Getty Images)
