Role Rumours
Buddha’s Little Finger
Director Tony Pemberton
Writers Marina Shron, William Jennings, Tony Pemberton, Saul Fussiner(based on the novel by Viktor Pelevin)
Cast Rupert Friend (Pyotr), Sophia Myles (Anna), Jean-Marc Barr (Volodin)
Links IMDb, Variety Article
Synopsis The bohemian small time gangster Pyotr Voyd is a mystery to himself. Captured by the KGB in the midst of the 1991 military coup in Russia, he has lost his memory. While the KGB are violently trying to get out of him the whereabouts of a secret weapon, he dreams himself into revolutionary Russia in 1919, where he joins real-life Red Army hero Vasily Chapayev and his sidekick machine gunner Anna. Back in 1991, he starts to slowly remember his metamorphosis from penniless poet into a gangster in present day Moscow and how all this is intrinsically linked to the fact that he is in the hands of the KGB.
Status The film was slated to shoot in Russia and Germany during summer 2007 with an estimated budget of $4,500,000. After Ruper Friend also Sophia Myles got attached to the project during the early months of 2007. However, finances couldn’t be secured and the production got postponed. Subsequently, Sophia Myles accepted the part of Beth Turner in the US series Moonlight. It is highly unlikely that Sophia Myles would still be attached to this film should finances be secured one day.
Heaven and Earth
Director Marleen Gorris
Writers Malcolm Kohll, Marsha Levin (based on the real life of James Miranda Barry)
Cast Sophia Myles (James Miranda Barry), Sean Pertwee (Captain Hatch), Janet Suzman, Miranda Raison (Lady Helena Langrish Smith)
Links IMDb, Production Site, Updates on sophiamyles.org
Synopsis Directed by Marleen Gorris, this is based on the remarkable true story of James Miranda Barry. In the early years of the 19th Century Barry graduated from Edinburgh University Medical School aged 21. Barry was appointed army surgeon to the Cape Colony where she performed the first successful Caesarian operation and rose through the ranks to eventually become Surgeon General of the British Army. It was only when the undertaker was laying out the body of the eminent physician that a startling discovery was made – Dr James Barry was in fact a woman.
Status After Rachel Weisz pulled out of the project due to scheduling conflicts and her pregnancy Sophia Myles got the part of Dr. Barry in Spring 2006. Shooting was rumoured to start around November 2006 and would have taken place in the UK, Germany and South Africa. However, remaining main roles couldn’t get cast successfully – thus finances not be secured either. Production came to a halt.
It was announced in May 2008 that the movie will start filming in December 2008 – featuring Natasha McElhone and James Purefoy in the lead roles. In February 2009 reports indicated someone else signed on to play the male lead: none other than Pierce Brosnan! Shooting was scheduled to start February 12, 2009 – however the project fell victim to the economic crisis. An unidentified backer has failed to provide promised funds in time, forcing filming to be – once again – delayed.
Underworld: Evolution
Director Len Wiseman
Writers Len Wiseman, Danny McBride
Cast Kate Beckinsale (Selene), Scott Speedman (Michael Corvin), Tony Curran (Marcus Corvinus), Shane Brolly (Kraven), Bill Nighy (Viktor), Sophia Myles (Erika)
Links IMDb, Official Site
Synopsis Underworld: Evolution continues the saga of war between the vampires and the Lycans. The film goes back to the beginnings of the ancient feud between the two tribes as Selene (Kate Beckinsale), the beautiful vampire heroine, and Michael (Scott Speedman), the lycan hybrid, try to unlock the secrets of their bloodlines. This will be a modern tale of action, intrigue and forbidden love, which takes them into the battle to end all wars as the immortals must finally face their retribution.
Status It was at one point reported by IMDb that Sophia Myles would be back as Erika in Underworld: Evolution. However, she denied any involvement. When the release date was approaching an official wallpaper for the sequel featuring Sophia appeared – again causing some confusion over Sophia’s involvement. In a very brief flashback scene we can indeed spot Sophia. (see) However, there’s no new footage of Erika available, they’ve used a scene from the first Underworld installment. The producers still had to list her name in the credits – which they did as Sophia Miles. That is how the alternate spelling on the IMDb page comes about. Despite all of this many articles say that Sophia Myles starred in Underworld: Evolution – clearly a misinformation.
The Snow Queen
Director n/a
Writers n/a (based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen)
Cast Sophia Myles (Gerda), Michelle Pfeiffer (Snow Queen)
Links IMDb, Official Site
Status Before the production was realized as a mini-series for Hallmark Channel starring Chelsea Hobbs and Bridget Fonda, Sophia Myles and Michelle Pfeiffer were slated to star in a $40 million Hollywood production. Sophia underwent eight months of training as an ice-skater, only for the film to collapse due to lack of finances.
Quotes:
It starts filming in October in Budapest, then it moves to the Dolomites, and then I have to go to the North Pole for two weeks. I’m learning to ice skate and I will have to ride an elk at some point. It’s going to be totally wild.
I’ve trained for all the [dance] movements before, but on ice. I learned for The Snow Queen, a film that unfortunately collapsed, but it has become my exercise. I love ice-skating and I’m better on ice than on the ground.
For the part, I went through about eight months of intensive training as an ice-skater, five hours a day, five days a week. Then I got a call from my agent, just before we were due to begin shooting telling me the film’s finances had collapsed. I haven’t been for a while but I still skate. It was a lesson not to count on anything in this industry.
I had rented this really expensive flat in Bayswater, West London, to be near the ice rink and, because I had been out of work, I ran into a bit of financial trouble. I trained for eight months and then suddenly I was unemployed for another 18. That was very scary. So it was such a huge relief when I got the part [in Thunderbirds] and I was really excited.