Winstone teams up with Jolie for new movie

Angelina Jolie is to star alongside British actor Ray Winstone in a new Hollywood adaptation of Beowulf, the Old English epic poem.

The film will be directed by Robert Zemeckis and produced by Shangri-La, the entertainment company headed by Liz Hurley’s old flame Steve Bing.

Beowulf is thought to have been written in the eighth century and follows a Scandinavian hero who takes on the legendary monster, Grendel.

Jolie will play the queen of darkness who tempts the Viking during his quest to become king, while Winstone has signed up for the title role, according to trade press.

Anthony Hopkins, Brendan Gleeson and Robin Wright Penn will also star.

The big budget film will be distributed by two Hollywood giants – Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros.

It will be made using performance-capture technology which transforms the actors into animated versions of themselves, as used by Zemeckis in 2004 film The Polar Express.

“Beowulf is a timeless, epic tale of heroism and triumph,” the director told the Hollywood Reporter.

“Digital rendering will allow us to depict this incredible story in ways we would never have dared imagine, and it’s a privilege to work with Shangri-La, Paramount and Warner Bros. on this extraordinary project.”

Jolie is currently starring opposite Matt Damon in The Good Shepherd, directed by Robert De Niro and released next year.

Beowulf is scheduled for release in 2007.