Michael Douglas to star in US remake of Til Schweiger film
June 21, 2016
Known for starring in and directing both action flicks and heartwarming stories, Til Schweiger is one of few German film stars to make a name for himself in Hollywood too. Now he's partnered with one of the movie capital's biggest names and gotten Michael Douglas on board for his next project.
The 71-year-old actor posted a photo of himself with Schweiger in Mallorca on Facebook on Monday (20.06.2016), writing "Til is a great guy and I am looking forward to starring in and producing a remake of his very successful German picture 'Head Full of Honey.' Til will direct."
Douglas is to play the role of Amandus, who suffers from Alzheimer's. "Head Full of Honey" from 2014 drew over seven million cinema goers and was one of eight films shortlisted for the German submission for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars.
When it becomes apparent to Amandus' family how much his illness has progressed, his granddaughter Tilda (played by Schweiger's own daughter Emma Schweiger) takes him on one last adventure - which causes some stress in the family. Til Schweiger plays the role of Amandus' son and Tilda's father.
On Facebook, Schweiger celebrated the partnership, writing "I love this guy! He's the best in his field."
The actor and filmmaker has extensive experience in the US: his ex-wife Dana Schweiger is American and the pair lived in Los Angeles in the 1990s. He also appeared in Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds" in 2009.
Remakes of German movies are rare in the US. The new English version of "Head Full of Honey" is set to be released next year. The story is still enthusing audiences in Germany: A stage version just premiered last weekend at the Schlossparktheater in Berlin.
kbm/ct (with dpa)