SYNOPSIS

This is based on the first book in Anthony Horowitz's bestselling series of novels about the reluctant teenage spy Alex Rider. Rider is a 14-year-old orphan who has been unwittingly trained all his life by his uncle with the skills to become a secret agent - scuba diving, mountaineering, martial arts and so on. When his guardian, an MI6 agent, is killed, Rider learns the truth and finds himself forced against his will to take on a dangerous mission for the British secret service. Rourke will play the villain, a megalomaniac businessman, with Pyle as his PR assistant. Nighy and Okonedo play MI6 spymasters, Silverstone is Alex's housekeeper and Bolger is his potential girlfriend. Lewis plays a Russian assassin and Walters a British soldier.

PREVIEW NOTES

• Variety reports that Entertainment Film Distributors, Capitol Films and WeinsteinCo. have teamed with Isle of Man Film, VIP Medienfonds and the UK Film Council to finance the $40 million project to be directed by Geoffrey Sax. Shooting starts July 4 at Pinewood Studios and in the Isle of Man. - 2005-05-12
• Variety reports that Alex Pettyfer has been picked to play the reluctant teenage spy Alex Rider. The cast includes Mickey Rourke, Sophie Okonedo, Bill Nighy, Alicia Silverstone, Missi Pyle, Ashley Walters, Damian Lewis and Sarah Bolger, plus a cameo by Ewan McGregor. Filming starts shooting July 3. - 2005-06-29
• The Hollywood Reporter reports that Andy Serkis and Stephen Fry have joined the cast - Serkis will play Mr. Grin, the unfortunately disfigured henchman and Fry will appear as Smithers, the secret creator and provider of exotic gadgetry to the spies of MI6. - 2005-07-19

FACT

Sax directed White Noise.