Fiennes takes lead in $10m Luther biopic

UK actor Joseph Fiennes has signed up to play religious reformer Martin Luther in a $10m feature film biopic to be directed by Eric Till.

Luther, the story of a simple monk challenging the political and religious leadership of his time will also feature Peter Ustinov, Bruno Ganz, Mathieu 
Carriere, Uwe Ochsenknecht, August Diehl, Jochen Horst and Benjamin Sadler. 

It begins shooting in February at original historical locations in Brandenburg, central Germany, Bavaria, Italy and the Czech Republic. 

The project reunites Canadian-born director Till with the Berlin-based NFP Neue 
Filmproduktion. They previously worked together two years ago on Bonhoeffer Agent Of Grace about the Second World War resistance figure and priest Dietrich Bonhoeffer. 

Luther is being produced by NFP in association with the US partner Aid Association for Lutherans, and the ARD network's Degeto Film, with additional financing from the Federal German Film Board (FFA), Mitteldeutsche 
Medienfoerderung MDM and Filmboard Berlin-Brandenburg.

"With this film, we are making our leap to the big screen", said executive producer Alexander Thies. "Our aim is to produce important historical stories for 
an international market with a focus on North America."

First Look takes Luther International

source:Screendaily.com

First Look Media has acquired international rights excluding Germany to Luther, a biopic of Martin Luther currently shooting in central Germany, Bavaria, Italy and the Czech Republic with Joseph Fiennes playing the title character.

Alfred Molina, Peter Ustinov and Bruno Ganz co-star in the film which is directed by Eric Till and produced by Alexander Thies, Brigitte Rochow and Christian Stehr. Luther follows the man's life from the God-fearing man who becomes a monk who grows to challenge the tyranny of a monolithic church and reinterpret the bible.

The film is an NFP production in collaboration with AAL/LB (Aid Association for Lutherans/Lutheran
Brotherhood) and Degeto Frankfurt with support from the German Federal Film Board FFA, Bavarian Film and Television Funding FFF, Mitteldeutsche Medienforderung MDM and Filmboard
Berlin-Brandenburg. A theatrical release in Germany is scheduled for autumn 2003.