Coogan & Broadbent Join '80 Days' Cast

[Monday, March 3rd, 2003]
Comedian Steve Coogan and Oscar winner Jim Broadbent have joined Jackie Chan in Around the World in 80 Days, according to Variety.

The movie will be helmed by Frank Coraci, who has previously directed Adam Sandler's hit comedies The Wedding Singer and The Waterboy. With Sandler expected to be one of the many cameo appearances.

"We are doing a lot of date-juggling because it isn't easy to get people to put in a day or two when you're shooting in such places as Thailand and Berlin," said Cary Granat from Walden Media, which is said to be developing the project.

Talking about the new duo, Granat said "Steve (Coogan) is a lot like Peter Sellers -- a great physical comic who is one of the most inventive comedians I've seen in years," he said. "He and Jackie make a great team, and Jim Broadbent makes a great counter."

Based on the novel by Jules Verne, '80 Days' begins with Passepartout (Chan), an adventurer, trying to make it to China to restore a sacred object stolen from his village. He's joined by Phileas Fogg (Coogan), who puts his rep as an inventor on the line to provide the transport. Bent on stopping them is Lord Kelvin (Broadbent), head of the Royal Academy of Science, who'll lose his fortune if the duo circles the globe in that 80-day period.

"We believe in Frank Coraci's vision for a film that will be a lot like 'Willy Wonka' -- colorful, fun and adventurous," Granat said.

Shooting starts March 15, and the filmmakers hope to cover more single locations than any other picture.

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