The Hollywood Reporter brings the news that Meryl Streep is in talks to play former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (pictured left with former Prime Minister John Major). Also in talks is Jim Broadbent who may well play Margaret Thatcher’s husband Denis.
The biopic is set to be directed by Phyllida Lloyd whose only previous feature film was Mamma Mia!, which also starred Streep.
I’m not convinced that Mamma Mia! is a particularly good showcase of why Lloyd will be a good name for this project but the ability to help bring in hundreds of millions of dollars is generally looked upon favorably by studios.
The film is being developed by BBC and Pathe and produced by Damien Jones, who also worked on the script with Brian Fillis.
THR report that the story is as follows:
The film is set in 1982 and tracks Thatcher as she tries to save her career in the 17 days preceding the 1982 Falklands War. The 2 1/2-month war was a turning point for the prime minister, who, after the victory, saw her approval ratings double and went on to win a second term.
I’m not convinced by the choice of Streep but I don’t think it’s a terrible one. The main issue that I think I might have with this project is that do I really want to watch a biopic of Thatcher, in particular one that may be somewhat sympathetic? The answer is probably no. What do you think?
