You might have noticed that it's been a very long while since we've seen Patrick Stewart's presence on the big screen. It's been several years in fact, during which his voice did most of the acting, from video games and animated movies to everything by Seth MacFarlane. But now it seems that his actual face will accompany his voice, in a new Israeli film of all places.
Sir Patrick will play an eccentric Brit in the upcoming crime comedy Hunting Elephants who joins a group Israeli misfits in a bank heist. Its the third feature comedy by writer-director Reshef Levi and stars some of Israel's own acting nobility, including Moni Moshonov (Late Marriage), Sasson Gabai (The Band's Visit) and Moshe Ivgy (Campfire).
Jonathan is a boy genius with severe social problems. After losing his father in a traumatic event, his mother leaves him in a nursing home with his grandfather, a bitter and hard old man who never kept in touch with his grandson until that day. At the nursing home, Jonathan meets a host of extravagant, picturesque figures, including his grandfather Elijah and his friend Nick, past "Lehi" underground members who used to rob banks for their country during the British occupation. Joining them is Jonathan's uncle, an Englishman and a frustrated Shakespearean actor, trying to put his hands on his sister's inheritance. Together, the four go on a journey to rob the bank that has ignored their existence.
Patrick's role was originally tailored for John Cleese, who had to leave production early on due to purported health reasons. "It was a great honor to be given a role that was written for John Cleese. I have to see how I can make it my own. I always wanted to be funny, now I have a chance," said Stewart in a press conference last year.
The film is to be released in July.