Helen Mirren joins Russell Brand in Arthur remake
We’ve been eyeing the Russell Brand-led remake of Arthur for some time now, wondering whether the proposed film would disappear once America rolled over and entered the “morning after” stage of its current love affair with the tousled British comedian, gathered its heels quietly, and softly crept out the door to hail a cab. But with Get Him To The Greek opening this summer and likely introducing Brand to an even wider audience, it seems like Arthur is a done deal—especially considering the news that Helen Mirren has now agreed to take on the role of “Hobson,” Arthur’s acid-tongued, barely tolerant valet. In the 1981 original, of course, Hobson was played by John Gielgud, who took home the Oscar for supporting actor for his work. It remains to be seen whether this reverse-gendered/Russell-Branded play on Arthur will work the same magic for Mirren, but fuck, it’s not like that lady needs any more awards.