Istanbul to host Russell Crowe's new movie

ISTANBUL - Anadolu Agency

Many movies have been shot in Istanbul. The most recent examples are James Bond Skyfall, Argo and Taken 2. DAILY NEWS photo / Emrah Gürel

Oscar winning actor Russell Crowe has decided to shoot his new film in Istanbul. Crowe has visited Istanbul on several occasions.

According to the written statement sent by Fatih Municipality, Russell Crowe’s movie, which will focus on the life of a father who lost his sons at the Battle of Gallipoli, will be shot in the old town of Istanbul. Balat, Sultanahmet, and Hagia Sophia quarters will be the main backdrops of the film, while some parts will be shot in Cappadocia.

Earlier Crowe had traveled back to Turkey for a new trip in preparation for a film to be shot in the country, taking in the sights of Cappadocia in Central Anatolia.

The actor arrived at Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport over the weekend before heading to Edirne and subsequently Cappadocia, where he visited the fairy chimneys in the province’s Ürgüp district. On July 27, one day before his visit to Edirne, he tweeted: “Sun’s coming up. 4 a.m. call to prayer woke me. This place is amazing. At least once in your life, you have to experience Istanbul.” During his recent trip to Edirne, Crowe conducted some research for a new movie that will focus on the life of a father who lost his sons at the Battle of Gallipoli. “Been all over Edirne. Interesting place, some great potential locations for filming. Met the Governor and the Mayor, big day,” he tweeted.

This is not the first time Crowe has come to Turkey, as he visited the northwestern province of Çanakkale on May 22 with U.S. producer Keith Rodger and Britain’s Dene Jesham. The famous actor, who was traveling on a luxury yacht named Latiko, had come to Çanakkale after visiting the Greek island of Mikonos. He and others visited Anzac Cove and the New Zealand monuments and graveyards in the Gallipoli National Park.

At the time, the famous actor tweeted about his visit, saying, “The Turkish coastline is so beautiful.” He also tweeted a picture with the caption: “The sun rising over the Gallipoli peninsula.” “In 1915 we would have been in earshot of the Turk guns for the last hour. Lest we forget,” he said in another tweet. Russell Crowe is also expected to take part in another project in Turkey. In February, the Hürriyet Daily News reported that a new movie focusing on the Gallipoli War would be shot in Turkey by Ra’uf Glasgow, the producer of the “Lost” TV series. Glasgow held a press meeting at the Sofa Hotel in Istanbul to announce the movie, which portrays two soldiers meeting after the war. Glasgow will be shooting the film with Reynolds Entertainment Company’s founder and producer, Kelley Reynolds, and Benjamin Belladi.

The movie will tell war stories based on people’s experiences. The film’s Turkish distribution and production have been taken by Anka film and producer Ali Akdeniz.

Fatih has previously been used as a location in “Argo”, “James Bond Skyfall”, “Taken 2”, and “Two Faces of January” movies. Fatih mayor Mustafa Demir said the district is an original movie set.
The district also works hard to conserve and protect the historical buildings and architecture. Noting that they were doing everything to keep the history alive in Fatih, Demir said: “Not only in Hollywood but also Bollywood eyes Fatih. The district is home to huge productions. The Indian movies and series also want to shoot films in Fatih.”

Promoting the city through films

Anadolu Agency earlier compiled a list of a few films which have made great contributions to Istanbul’s international promotion.

“Istanbul” (1957): Directed by Hoseph Pevney, the film stars Errol Flynn, Cornell Borchers and Nat King Cole and tells the story of a suspected diamond smuggler who returns to Istanbul and finds that the lady love he thought was dead is actually alive.

“From Russia with Love” (1963): The second film in the James Bond series, and one of the most popular, was made during a time when the effects of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union were felt the most. In the film, which stars Sean Connery as 007, Bond is sent to assist in the defection of Soviet consulate clerk Tatiana Romanova in Turkey. The settings of the film included Istanbul’s Beyazıt, Sulukule and Basilica Cistern.

“The World Is Not Enough” (1998): The 19th film of the James Bond series, directed by Michael Apted and starring Pierce Brosnan as Bond, revolves around the assassination of billionaire Sir Robert King by the terrorist Renard. Bond is assigned to protect King’s daughter, Elektra, who was previously held for ransom by Renard. While on assignment, Bond foils a scheme to increase petroleum prices by triggering a nuclear meltdown in the waters of Istanbul.

“The Accidental Spy” (2001): This Hong Kong martial arts film stars Jackie Chan and was directed by Teddy Chan. It tells the story of Bei, a salesman at a workout equipment store who harbors dreams of adventure. He follows his instincts to trail two suspicious-looking men into an alley. When he realizes that the men are robbing a jewelry store, he jumps into action to foil their plans. Later, he sets on his quest to fulfill his dreams of adventure and fortune, traveling to Korea and Istanbul. Many Turkish artists, models and stuntmen acted in the Turkish scenes of the film.

“The International” (2009): Directed by Tom Tykwer, “The International” stars big-name actors such as Clive Owen, Naomi Watts and Haluk Bilginer. In the film an Interpol agent attempts to expose a high-profile financial institution’s role in an international arms dealing ring. The films locations include Lyon, Milan, Berlin, Istanbul and New York.