David Morrissey, the star of television dramas The Deal and State of Play, has been cast opposite Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction. Principal photography is due to begin in London in March on the thriller, which is being produced by Terminator producers Andrew Vajna and Mario Kassar and has had a turbulent preproduction career. Both Benjamin Bratt and Bruce Greenwood were previously linked to the role of Scotland Yard's Dr Andrew Glass, only to drop out as the picture lurched through years of uncertainty.
The Bangkok International Film Festival will shift its focus to raising money for the tsunami disaster relief this year, as organisers said the event will launch next week with a series of opening night tributes by leading dignitaries from six countries in the stricken region. British film site Screendaily says a portion of proceeds from ticket sales will be diverted to aid funds under an initiative jointly undertaken by festival chiefs and the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The festival runs from January 13-24.
Market data analysts Nielsen EDI said British filmgoers spent an all-time high of £838m on tickets last year. The number of admissions climbed by approximately eight million to 156.7 million between January and November, according to The Sun. The biggest film of the year was Shrek 2, which earned £48m. The animated comedy sequel was also the biggest earner in the US, grossing $436m (£231.7m).
