Which Hitch Do You Prefer?

Recently, both of the upcoming films about Alfred Hitchcock – “The Girl,” starring Toby Jones, and “Hitchcock,” starring Anthony Hopkins – have released images of their respective stars made up and outfitted as The Master of Suspense. Here they are…so now the question is which one looks more macabre to you?

Toby Jones (with Sienna Miller) in "The Girl"

Anthony Hopkins in "Hitchcock"

Of course, neither of them looks quite right in these shots, although they do look very good. Our Hitch was an unusual looking person, and finding a double for him would be nigh on impossible. Still, both of these actors have a knack for impersonation: Hopkins made a convincing Richard Nixon in “Nixon,” and Jones channeled Truman Capote in “Infamous.”

I first raised some questions about casting on these movies in this post – but now that we’re seeing images from the movies, I’ll ask again: What do you think of this casting, and who would you like to see playing Sir Alfred?

Alfred Hitchcock – Coming Soon to a Theater Near You

Since the start of 2011, there’s been talk about Sir Anthony Hopkins playing Sir Alfred Hitchcock in a big-screen adaptation of “Writing with Hitchcock,” Anthony De Rosa’s fantastic book about Hitchcock’s 1950s collaboration with screenwriter John Michael Hayes. (I blogged about this book here.)

Now, it looks like we’ll have our pick of Hitchcocks. And Alma Revilles, too.

First, the BBC has announced plans this week for the movie “The Girl,” about Hitchcock’s difficult relationship with Tippi Hedren during the making of “The Birds.” The movie will star Sienna Miller as Hedren, with Toby Jones as Hitch and Imelda Staunton as Reville. Hitchcock biographer Donald Spoto will serve as a consultant on the film; no word yet on when it will air, but it’s a good bet that it will be sometime in 2012.

Toby Jones and Sienna Miller, slated to play Hitchcock and Tippi Hedren

Today, the Anthony Hopkins Hitchcock project got an update, with Fox Searchlight announcing that the movie would be about the making of “Psycho,” with Helen Mirren as Reville. Reports say that the film’s story will focus on Hitchcock’s decision to make a horror film, and his struggle to finance it when he could not get the studio backing he had expected. It looks like this movie may start production in the spring.

Helen Mirren to play Alma Reville

Anthony Hopkins IS Alfred Hitchcock!

So, film fans – who do you like better as Hitch? And who will be the better Alma: Helen Mirren or Imelda Staunton? I think it all sounds pretty amazing – but Helen Mirren may be a little too glam for  Alma – but we’ll have to wait and see.