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The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009)

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11 March 2008 5:55 AM, PDT | From PEOPLE.com | See recent PEOPLE.com news

Heath Ledger's final movie resumed production Monday with the "blessing and support" of the actor's family. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus's director, Terry Gilliam told the BBC that filming was back on schedule in Vancouver, and he hopes that the movie will "touch people's hearts and souls as Heath was able to do." The movie's producers added in a statement that the film would preserve Ledger's entire performance intact with no modification or alterations through the use of digital technology."I am delighted that Heath's brilliant performance can be shared with the world," Gilliam said while also expressing

Liz Corcoran

10 March 2008 12:13 PM, PDT | From wenn.com | See recent WENN news

Producers working on Heath Ledger's final film have vowed not to alter the tragic star's last performance, even though the actor never got the chance to complete the project before his untimely death.

Work on The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus resumed on Monday after the Brokeback Mountain star's death halted filming on the project earlier this year.

In his honour, Hollywood superstars Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law have signed up to feature in the film, which is due for release next year.

However, the film's director Terry Gilliam and its producers have promised to preserve every detail of Ledger's final performance, and that the hiring of the three new stars will not affect his work.

A statement released by the movie's producers reads, "Since the format of the story allows for the preservation of his entire performance, at no point will Heath's work be modified or altered through the use of digital technology.

"Each of the parts played by Johnny, Colin and Jude is representative of the many aspects of the character that Heath was playing."

Gilliam adds, "I am delighted that Heath's brilliant performance can be shared with the world.

"We are looking forward to finishing the movie and, through the film, with a modicum of humility, being able to touch people's hearts and souls as Heath was able to do."

Ledger had just finished shooting scenes for the fantasy movie in London just days before he was found dead in his New York apartment in January.

Toxicology results released last month revealed Ledger was killed by an accidental overdose of prescribed medications.

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29 January 2008 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

Although it was initially reported following Heath Ledger's death that writer-director Terry Gilliam would abandon his latest film, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, which Ledger was making at the time of his death, it now appears that Gilliam may go ahead with the film after all, using computer-generated images of Ledger. In an interview with People magazine, Imaginarium costar Christopher Plummer, remarked, "Fortunately, because the film deals with magic, there is a way perhaps of turning Heath into other people and then, using stills and I think they call it CGI." Plummer said that Gilliam plans to dedicate the movie to Ledger.

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29 January 2008 | From wenn.com | See recent WENN news

Filmmaker Terry Gilliam is determined to "salvage" the movie Heath Ledger was midway through making when he died last Tuesday. The veteran director and Ledger were filming scenes for The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus in London just days before the actor was found dead in his New York apartment. And despite the sudden tragedy, co-star Christopher Plummer claims a "terribly saddened" Gilliam is doing all he can to finish the film. Plummer says, "Terry's throwing himself into the job of trying to salvage the picture. (He's) trying to work out, at this moment, how to continue on. Fortunately, because the film deals with magic, there is a way, perhaps, of turning Heath into other people and then, using stills and I think they call it CGI. Terry was a very good friend of Heath's. He very much wants to go on with the movie, and I can very much understand why. Because he wants to dedicate it to Heath, of course." Last week, Plummer revealed he suspects shooing The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus at night in London's cold, damp climate could have contributed to Ledger's death. An autopsy failed to reveal how the actor died, although police believe his death could be drug-related as five different bottles of prescription drugs were found around his apartment.

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23 January 2008 | From wenn.com | See recent WENN news

Movie star Heath Ledger has been found dead in his Manhattan, New York apartment. The actor was declared dead by medics at his Broome Street, SoHo home at 3:30pm on Tuesday, according to the New York Police Department. A police spokesperson reveals Ledger was discovered by his housekeeper, after he failed to answer the door to a masseuse he had booked to give him a massage. While prescription drugs were found at scene, there were no illegal drugs discovered. The Australian Brokeback Mountain star, 28, was just about to start promoting the Batman Begins sequel The Dark Knight, in which he plays movie villain The Joker. Born in Perth in 1979, Ledger made a name for himself in a series of brooding roles on the big screen; he was nominated for a 2006 Oscar for his portrayal of Ennis Del Mar in the gay-themed drama Brokeback Mountain. Fiercely private, Ledger has openly spoken about his public shyness, but he hit the headlines for romances with Heather Graham, Naomi Watts and his Brokeback Mountain co-star Michelle Williams, the mother of his two-year-old daughter Matilda Rose.

A star field hockey player and athlete, Ledger turned his attentions to drama in his teens and, when a friend headed to Sydney, Australia to chase an acting dream, the star-to-be went along for the ride. He landed a break as a gay cyclist in 1996's Sweat - a TV drama about a group of Olympic hopefuls - and then he portrayed the best friend of a rapist in low-budget 1997 movie Blackrock. Hedger left Australia to find acting work in America in 1999 and landed the lead in Aussie director Gregor Jordan's crime thriller Two Hands. That film helped him land the lead hunk role in teen movie hit Ten Things I Hate About You. He went on to play Mel Gibson's son in The Patriot and Billy Bob Thornton's troubled offspring in Monster's Ball. Both roles earned Ledger high praise from critics. But then came a string of critical flops - A Knight's Tale, Ned Kelly, The Four Feathers, The Order, Lords Of Dogtown, and The Brothers Grimm. But then followed Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain in 2005, which Ledger has often described as a major turning point in his professional and personal life. As awkward cowboy Ennis Del Mar, Ledger regained his position as one of Hollywood's top stars. The role led to a Best Actor Oscar nod and the coveted role of The Joker in the upcoming The Dark Knight, for which he's already receiving great acclaim. Ledger has also won acclaim for his role as Robbie Clark in quirky Bob Dylan-inspired movie I'm Not There. The tragic star was last seen publicly on the London set of director Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus on Saturday.

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5 articles from 2008