Period films are taking Hollywood by storm this year, particularly in light of the Oscar success given to The King’s Speech. The new fascination has garnered many adult dramas, mostly concerning the stuffy, high-brow subject of British politics (the aforementioned King’s Speech, The Iron Lady, Madonna‘s W.E., and, in some way, the upcoming FDR-meets-the royals film Hyde Park On Hudson). With the rom-com Girl’s Night Out in the works, it seems that Hollywood now wants a crack at the teen anglophile market — if such a thing exists.
Already being compared to the classic Audrey Hepburn romance Roman Holiday, the film follows young royals Princess Margaret and her sister, Elizabeth (the current Queen Elizabeth II), as they try to go incognito and join V.E. Day celebrations that broke out at the end of World War II. Alexandra Roach (The Iron Lady) signed on to play Elizabeth, with Dakota Fanning as her Margaret.
However, they were one princess short after Fanning, who was attached to the project for almost a year, reportedly dropped out. Thankfully, The Daily Mail (via ThePlaylist) informs us that Juno Temple (Atonement, Greenberg) stepped in to take her place. The up-and-coming starlet can be seen in Killer Joe, a TIFF selection scheduled to hit theaters later this year, and will show up in what’s almost sure to be 2012’s biggest hit, The Dark Knight Rises. As for Fanning, she’s got it covered — she recently signed on to star alongside Elizabeth Olsen and Anton Yelchin in the coming-of-age film Very Good Girls.
With Roach and director Michael Hoffman (Gambit) in place, hopefully Girls’ Night Out has finally found its Princess Margaret in Temple. Foregoing any other royal snags, filming should commence in the fall, with a release set some time in 2013.
Is Temple a suitable replacement for Fanning? Do you think a young audience will respond to the premise of Girls’ Night Out?