In the great tradition of overlapping films released at the same time, such as The Illusionist/The Prestige, Tombstone/Wyatt Earp and Antz/A Bugs Life, come two upcoming projects based on the life of famous Victorian Euphemia “Effie” Gray.
Effie, written by Emma Thompson and set to star Dakota Fanning as the teenage Gray, started shooting last month. Gray was unhappily married to art critic John Ruskin, who refused to consummate the marriage.
After years of a loveless existence, Effie divorced Ruskin and married his protégé, John Everett Millais.
Despite the 2012 scheduled release date, another project titled Untouched is also in the works.
The second film will be directed by Andrucha Waddington (House of Sand) and Keira Knightley is in talks to appear as Gray. Although shooting has not begun, with Knightley attached it could become real competition for Thompson’s Effie.
