Interviews with Charles Armitage (film producer)

[Dave]

In September's SFX magazine there is an interview with the films producer Charles Armitage. He says a number of things already posted here, but there are a few new things:

We're just putting together the last pieces of paperwork at the moment, and hoping to be shooting in February or March next year [2003].

....with a big budget -- well, a bigger budget by the standards of Brtitish films, anyway!

That would be a mistake [to tone down the British humour to sell it internationally], because the series is a big hit in Japan - and in countries all over the world. So why change it?

[Doug Naylor is directing alone without Rob Grant, and for the very first time.] Well, Sam Mendes was a first time director too, when he made 'American Beauty', and that was pretty good.

Nothing about the script, or the earlier rumours of Daleks. I like the sound of the "big budget" and the "So why change it?"

The movie will see all of the original TV series main characters reuinited: Rimmer, Lister, The Cat, Kryten, Holly, Kochanski, and Captain Hollister.

[Wingless Flyer]

wow, a Red Dwarf movie, I love the series, and thanks to UK Gold they are shown almost evey week. This is very cool, I'll haveto go see this one when it's released!

[Dave]

I found another interview at BBC News

Producer Charles Armitage told BBC News Online that he was optimistic Red Dwarf would get made, despite the fact it has been in the development stage for several years.

Will the cast reach the big screen?
Movies based on the Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Doctor Who have been in the pipeline for at least 10 years but have yet to reach the big screen.

The comedy series has a loyal, cult following with DVD and video sales of the programme topping 400,000 copies.

"We are in that twilight world of pre, pre-production," said Mr Armitage, of Noel Gay films.

Fan base

"We are looking at co-production possibilities and the director will be going out soon to look at locations."

The stars of the original TV series, including Craig Charles and Robert Llewelyn, are expected to return in the film version.


The series has a loyal following
Mr Armitage said there was a big enough fan base for Red Dwarf to support a film version.

"If you put Red Dwarf into Google search engine you will find about 50,000 fan sites.

"Fifty percent of those are in the States, where the PBS channel has done a very good job of promoting the programme."

But he is not put off by problems that hit Doctor Who or Hitch-hikers. Reports of film versions of the two cult classics have been in circulation for many years.

Doctor Who is still a project under consideration for development by BBC Films but the classic series is no closer to being turned into a movie.

Mr Armitage said: "There is quite a big difference between Dr Who and Red Dwarf.

'Getting older'

"Dr Who has a loyal fan base which has been around for a long time.

"The fans of Dr Who, and I might be wrong here, seem to me to be getting older.

"We are bringing a new generation of fans to Red Dwarf."

The film will be written and directed by Doug Naylor, one of the co-creators of the original series.

Mr Armitage said: "Doug Naylor has written it in a way that it is totally accessible to everyone.

"People who have never seen a Red Dwarf episode before will be able to follow it.

"But there will be enough in there to please die-hard fans also."