Marie Antoinette Begins Production..Ugh! I mean, YAH!

God, this fucks up my Best Actress predictions. Kirsten now almost jumps to the head of the class while the other potential nominees just sit there and...eat cake. Yes, this is going to be released in December. It sounds more Baz Luhrman than Merchant/Ivory. Good.

From Columbia Pictures:

Production begins this week on Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette, about France's iconic eighteenth century Queen. The Columbia Pictures release is produced by two-time Academy Award® nominee Ross Katz, through American Zoetrope. In addition to serving as director, Coppola is also one of the film's producers and has written the screenplay, which is loosely adapted from Lady Antonia Fraser's noted historical account "Marie Antoinette - The Journey". Fred Roos, Francis Ford Coppola and Paul Rassam serve as executive producers.

Kirsten Dunst, who previously appeared in Coppola's drama The Virgin Suicides, portrays the young Austrian princess, who, as a teenager, becomes Queen of France. Jason Schwartzman portrays her indifferent husband Louis XVI.

Other members of the ensemble, portraying various members of the elitist court of Versailles include Rip Torn (in the role of King Louis XV), Judy Davis (as the Comtesse de Noailles), Steve Coogan (as Mercy), Asia Argento (playing the Comtesse du Barry), Marianne Faithful (Maria-Teresa), Aurore Clement (Duchesse de Chartres), Molly Shannon (Aunt Victoire) and Shirley Henderson (Aunt Sophie).

The director of photography for Marie Antoinette is Lance Acord, who previously collaborated with Coppola on Lost in Translation. Oscar® winner Milena Canonero (A Clockwork Orange, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou) is designing the costumes and KK Barrett (Lost in Translation, I Heart Huckabees, Being John Malkovich) is the production designer.

Marie Antoinette will be shot entirely in France, with much of the 11-week production schedule centered at the Palace of Versailles, which has granted the production unprecedented access.

Sony Pictures Entertainment will distribute throughout most of the world with Pricel and Tohokushinsha handling the territories of France and Japan, respectively.