Currently in the midst of the biggest monetary hit of his career with “Midnight in Paris,” Woody Allen is about to begin production of his next film, “The Bop Decameron” in Rome. As always with the cinematic legend, details of the script are being kept under wraps, but the filmmaker did confirm today an impressive list of actors who will appear in the picture.
“Decameron” will reunite Allen with Judy Davis for the third time after “Deconstructing Harry” and “Husbands and Wives” and with Penelope Cruz, who won an Oscar for Allen’s “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.” Surprisingly, this will be Alec Baldwin and Jesse Eisenberg’s first collaboration with Allen, two native New Yorkers who seem perfectly suited for the director’s style of comedy. Indie favorites Greta Gerwig and Ellen Page will also be principal players along with aisle jumping Italian comedian and, cough, Oscar winner Roberto Benigni.
Co-stars in the picture include Antonio Albanese, Fabio Armiliata, Alessandra Mastronardi, Ornella Muti, Flavio Parenti, Riccardo Scamarcio, Alessandro Tiberi and Alison PIll of “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” fame.
This is the first time Allen has shot in Rome and had his film financed completely by an Italian production and distribution company. The film currently has no U.S. distributor, but that should quickly change as “Paris” continues its impressive box office grosses with $21.7 million in the U.S. and over $40 million globally so far.