Los Angeles

Posted: Tue., Jan. 11, 2005, 9:00pm PT

Bing bling for 'Butler'

Hopkins, Freeman pair up

Steve Bing

Bing

Anthony Hopkins

Hopkins

Morgan Freeman

Freeman

Steve Bing, the energetic billionaire who backed the losing side in the presidential election but the winning side in "The Polar Express" (he invested $80 million), has decided to finance his first major directing effort through his Shangri-La Entertainment shingle.

"Harry and the Butler" will star Anthony Hopkins and Morgan Freeman in a loose remake of 1962 Danish film "Harry og Kammertjeneren." Damian F. Slattery wrote the script.

Freeman will play a blues musician who has lost his way and finds himself living in an abandoned boxcar in Los Angeles. When he comes into money, he hires an English butler (Hopkins), who helps the musician find his way back.

It is the second pairing of Hopkins and Freeman, who made "Amistad" together.

The film is a co-production between Shangri-La and Revelations, the production partnership between Freeman and Lori McCreary. McCreary will produce with Philippe Rivier.

Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

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