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The long awaited Paddington Bear movie, which opens in UK theatres next weekend (November 28th) has been given a parental guidance reference by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). The PG rating was given after the classifications board found the film contained "dangerous behaviour, mild threat, innuendo and mild bad language.”

Paddington's PG rating will be a surprise to fans of the classic cartoon

The loveable Bear's dangerous behaviour includes a scene in which he is “hiding from a villain inside a refrigerator” and another where he rides “on a skateboard while holding on to a bus,” according to the BBFC.

Continue reading: A Very Naughty Bear? Paddington Movie Gets PG Rating From BBFC Thanks To 'Innuendo' And 'Dangerous Behaviour'

All the signs suggested Paddington would be rubbish. The script wasn't exactly on Hollywood's black list and Colin Firth voluntarily dropped out of the film after principal photography because the studio decided his voice wasn't suitable for the famous bear. 

Ben Whishaw voices Paddington in the movie, replacing Colin Firth

Firth was replaced by the Skyfall actor Ben Whishaw and the voice parts were re-done. At $50 million, Paddington represents the most expensive movie ever produced by StudioCanal. Oh, and the British Board of Film Classification announced that the movie had been rated PG for "dangerous behaviour, mild threat, mild sex references and mild bad language". Oh dear, what have they done to the loveable, innocent, bear?

Continue reading: 'Paddington': Like A Movie Styled By Wes Anderson, Written By Peter Cook

Lea Seydoux has reportedly been cast in the next James Bond movie. Filming for the currently untitled 24th Bond movie is set to begin in six weeks and Bond 24, as it is known, will be in cinemas next year.

Lea Seydoux at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival.

Read More: Blue Is the Warmest Colour To Sue "Arrogant" Lead Actress Lea Seydoux?

Continue reading: Lea Seydoux Reportedly Cast In Upcoming 'Bond 24' Movie

Ben Whishaw, the British actor who played Q in Skyfall and who portray the late Freddie Mercury in a forthcoming biopic, has been last in the lead role of forthcoming BBC thriller London Spy. Whishaw will play Danny in Tom Rob Smith's first television drama.

Ben Whishaw has landed the lead in 'London Spy'

Rob Smith is the author of the acclaimed Stalin-era novel Child 44, which is currently being adapted for the big-screen with Tom Hardy, Joel Kinnaman and Noomi Rapace.

Continue reading: Ben Whishaw Lands Starring Role In BBC Thriller 'London Spy'

Ben Whishaw, who starred in James Bond's 'Skyfall,' has been cast as the new voice of 'Paddington.'

The 33 year-old actor replaced fellow Brit Colin Firth, who dropped out of the project just last month.

Confirmation came on Friday when StudioCanal, the film's producer, sent out a tweet that read, "Delighted to announce that Ben Whishaw will be the voice of Paddington."

Continue reading: Ben Whishaw Named As Colin Firth's Replacement As Voice Of 'Paddington'

There’s no better way of proving that you are a true artiste than taking on a challenging Shakespearean role. Not content with raking in millions of dollars from their blockbuster movies, these famous actors and actresses decided that they needed some to shake up their careers with a bit of William Shakespeare.

Tom Hiddleston’s talents aren’t restricted to playing Marvel Comics’ super villian, Loki. The Thor star has a soft spot for Shakespeare, starring in the Hollow Crown series as Henry V as well as taking on Coriolanus at the Donmar Warehouse. Sounds like an easy role to kill a bit of time in between filming. Well, maybe not, but there’s certainly a lot of killing of some kind.

Tom Hiddleston isn't just the bad guy from Thor

Continue reading: Is This A Celebrity Which I See Before Me? Hollywood Actors Who Have Tackled Shakespeare Roles

Will the Freddie Mercury biopic ever sail into smooth waters and make it onto the big screen? At the moment, it just seems to be one obstacle after another when the project, originally intended for release in 2015, is concerned. The first major disappointment for the project came when funny man actor Sacha Baron Cohen, who is most famous for his alter egos, Ali G and Bruno, dropped out after he had originally been cast as Mercury. Although the project will obviously not be a comedy, Baron Cohen had initially seemed like the perfect candidate to play the role of the legendary Queen frontman.

Ben Whishaw has replaced Sacha Baron Cohen to play Freddie Mercury

Baron Cohen and Mercury certainly share an aesthetic resemblance, although the worry seemed to be whether or not the comedic actor would be able summon the gravitas necessary for the role. Roger Taylor, the drummer for Queen, had expressed doubts in the past that Baron Cohen was “too funny”, adding “We felt Sacha probably wasn’t right. We didn’t want it to be a joke. We want people to be moved.” In contrast, Baron Cohen seemed to have wanted the movie to be darker than the other Queen members, who want it to attract a wide audience, had intended.  The creative differences seemed to prove too much to all parties involved, and Baron Cohen parted ways from the others involved with the project. English actor Ben Whishaw has replaced Baron Cohen to play the role of Freddie Mercury in the 2015 biopic.

Continue reading: Will The Freddie Mercury Biopic Ever Make It To The Big Screen?

Director Dexter Fletcher has walked out on Sony's Freddy Mercury movie, meaning it's back to the drawing board for a project that has already suffered numerous setbacks. Fletcher, who landed the gig after his work on Sunshine on Leith, did not see eye-to-eye with GK Films' Graham King on the direction of the movie, according to Deadline.

Dexter Fletcher Has Left The Freddie Mercury Biopic

Skyfall actor Ben Whishaw is set to play Mercury, but the delay in finding Fletcher's replacement could have wider implications for the production schedule with Whishaw preparing to begin work on the new Bond movie with Sam Mendes.

Continue reading: Freddie Mercury BioPic Parts Ways With Dexter Fletcher

Former Queen bassist John Deacon is apparently having nothing to do with the upcoming biopic of the group's late singer Freddie Mercury as he continues to maintain his exile from the surviving group member's work under the Queen name. According to the group's guitarist Brian May, Deacon has given the script for the film his approval, but wants nothing more to do with the upcoming movie project, or the potential new Queen album rumoured to be in the works.

Mercury will be remembered in the upcoming biopic

"We kinda mourn for John as well as Freddie in a sense," May recently told Rolling Stone. "I do know John's read the script and he's in approval...[But] he just doesn't want to be walking those roads ... He's in his own space and we respect that. It's a shame, because we would love to have him around but he doesn't want to be in that arena anymore."

Continue reading: John Deacon Rules Out Any Involvement In Freddie Mercury Biopic

The latest stage version of William Shakespeare's historic epic Henry V is currently playing to packed-out audiences at the Noel Coward Theatre on London's West End, with critics being particularly taken by lead man Jude Law, who portrays the embattled monarch in Michael Grandage's take on the show.

Jude Law is being roundly praised for his depiction of Henry V

The last instalment of the Michael Grandage Company’s season on the West End, it may also be the best too, thanks largely to the star performance from its lead performer. After a successful 15-month season, consisting of five plays each performed at the Noel Coward Theatre, Henry V marks the end of Grandage's triumphant run, but he couldn't have ended things on higher note. Whilst praise has been distributed to the direction and stage design for the show, it is Law's lead performance that has captured critics and audiences alike, as the Dom Hemingway actor continues his good run of form as a critically acclaimed acting talent.

Continue reading: Jude Law As 'Henry V' Is (Probably) The Best Acting Performance Of 2013

Brian May has opened up about Sacha Baron Cohen's departure from the planned Freddie Mercury biopic, which it seems is almost certainly going to be a sugar-coated love letter to the late Queen singer.

Cohen walked away from the project in July after spending months honing his vocals for the role, however, reports suggested he fell out with may and Roger Taylor of his planned portrayal of Mercury.

Now, speaking with UltimateClassicRock.com, Brian May explained, "In the end, we felt that his [Cohen's] presence in the movie would be very distracting.

Continue reading: Brian May: Sacha Baron Cohen "Distracting" In Freddie Mercury Biopic

The planned biopic of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury's life has been in discussion for three years now, with comic actor Sacha Baron Cohen in line to star as the late singer since the very beginning of the project. The biopic was thrown into disarray in the summer however, when it was reported that Cohen had been booted from the project, with little explanation for his exit. This week, Queen guitarist Brian May looked to shed some light on what happened.

Freddie Mercury is revered as one of the finest rock frontmen of all time

"It's quite difficult to talk about because we owe Sacha a lot," May told Classic Rock in it's latest issue. He went on to say, "He had so much enthusiasm for the project and it really helped us kick it into the start position. But in the end we felt that his presence in the movie would be very distracting."

Continue reading: Brian May Explains Why Sasha Baron Cohen Was Wrong For Freddie Mercury Biopic

The biopic of Queen frontman Freddy Mercury is now targeting British actor, Ben Whishaw for the lead role.

'Ali G' star, Sasha Baron Cohen, was closely attached to the film since it was announced back in September 2010 but the remaining members of Queen, who are producing the film, thought his presence would be "very distracting" in the lead role.

Legendary guitarist, Brian May, recently spoke to Classic Rock magazine about Baron Cohen leaving the project, "in the end we felt that his presence in the movie would be very distracting," May said.

Continue reading: Ben Whishaw Targeted For Freddy Mercury Role But What Happened To Sasha Baron Cohen?

Shown last summer on BBC2, the spectacular, four-part, historical drama series, The Hollow Crown will be available to buy on DVD and to digitally download at the end of this month. The episodes began being broadcast in June 2012 and were brought to life by Skyfall director Sam Mendes who executively produced the episodes for the BBC channel.

The drama series features four of Shakespeare's plays, or the 'Henriad' as they are often collectively known: Richard II, Henry IV Part 1, Henry IV Part 2 and Henry V. Across the four episodes star Ben Whishaw as King Richard II, Jeremy Irons as King Henry VI, Tom Hiddlestone as King Henry V and Patrick Stewart as John of Gaunt.

Continue reading: 'The Hollow Crown': Shakespeare 4-Play Miniseries Out Soon On DVD

The new Doctor Who will be revealed in a special live show on Sunday (August 4, 2013) with 'The Thick of It' star Peter Capaldi the clear favourite with the bookmakers.

According to the BBC, the half-four show will be presented by Zoe Ball and is set to feature an interview with the current Doctor Who Matt Smith and executive producer Steven Moffat. The casting remains shrouded in secrecy, with only a handful of those working on the long-running BBC show privy to the selection.

"The decision is made and the time has come to reveal who's taking over the Tardis," Moffat said. "For the last of the Time Lords, the clock is striking twelve."

Continue reading: Peter Capaldi To Be Announced As 'Doctor Who' In Special Live Show?

Rupert Grint, AKA Ron Weasley, will be putting his Potter days behind him as he makes his stage debut on the West End. The prestigious theatre circuit will be a baptism of fire for the 24 year-old actor who has never performed on stage before, having captured the attention of the Warner Bros. producers when he submitted a rap, aged 11, proclaiming how much he wanted the part of Harry Potter's best friend, Ron.

Grint: Eyeballing A West End Role.

It has been confirmed to BBC News that Grint will star alongside Ben Whishaw (Skyfall, The Hour) in a gritty play entitled Mojo that was originally performed at the Royal Court in 1995, followed by a film adaptation in 1998. Opening at the Harold Pinter theatre in October, black comedy Mojo will be set in a seedy 1950s Soho nightclub with Grint playing 'Sweets' who has a penchant for amphetamines and dark humour. The Thunderpants actor will star alongside Whishaw, Downton Abbey's Brendan Coyle and Made in Dagenham's Daniel Mays.

Continue reading: Rupert Grint To Make West End Debut Alongside Ben Whishaw

Ever fancied yourself behind the controls to the TARDIS? This could be your chance: the audition script used by the BBC on the hunt for a new timelord has been published in Doctor Who magazine, giving us a glimpse of life after Matt Smith.

The BBC Are On The Hunt For A Matt Smith Successor.

It could be safe to say that producers aren't on the lookout for a female Doctor Who. Although no indication is given whether the regenerated doctor's gender is the same or not, Jenna Lee Coleman's Clara's lines aren't half as surprised as they would have been had producers planned for the Doc to reappear with boobs and the Doctor doesn't react to a more feminine sounding voice. Sorry Olivia Colman and Helen Mirren; it's probably not going to be you.

Continue reading: Calling All Timelords! Doctor Who Audition Script Released By Steven Moffat

Ben Daniels is the latest name to become the favourite to inherit the role of Doctor Who in the long-running BBC series. Very soon there'll be very few British male actors who haven't been rumoured to be taking over the controls to the TARDIS as the Merlin actor now has the most favourable odds at 6/1. With previous odds of 16/1, Chiwetel Ejiofor (Salt, American Gangster) now closely follows Daniels at 7/1.

Could Ben Daniels Take Over From Matt Smith As The New Doctor?

However, chances are the new Who may not be a male actor at all; there have been calls for the new Doctor to be female, which would mark a first for the series which has run since 1963.

Continue reading: Ben Daniels Is New Favourite For 'Doctor Who' Job: Could He Be The One?

Rory Kinnear, 35, has apparently been offered the titular role in BBC's long-running sci-fi drama Doctor Who,causing betting agents Ladbrokes to close down bets after an influx of bets caused his odds to rise to 2/1.

The Telegraph have stoked the flames of this most recent rumour, reporting that their insider DW source confirmed Kinnear has been offered the role and is quoted saying "he is the perfect choice" to follow current Doctor, Matt Smith - who is soon to retire.

Will Rory Kinnear Be The Next Doctor Who?

Continue reading: Rory Kinnear, A Time Lord? Apparently He's Been Offered Doctor Who Role...

Skyfall star Ben Whishaw, who plays a youthful incarnation of gadget expert Q in the latest Bond film, has hinted that the follow-up to the massively successful 007 movie may be ready to begin filming as early as this year.

Speaking to The Radio Times, the actor revealed that the next instalment of the Bond franchise could begin filming in as little as 'about ten months’ from now, should everything continue to go to plan. Whishaw was quick to cover his tracks though, should things fall behind schedule with the film, adding, ‘Well, hopefully. Let’s hope so!’

Whishaw and 007 himself, Daniel Craig, have confirmed their place in the follow-up Bond film, with Craig signed on to appear in at least three more Bond films. One person who is yet to commit to the follow-up, but has voiced interest, is Skyfall director Sam Mendes, who admitted at last weeks BAFTAs that he would 'certainly consider' stepping behind the camera again, but wont commit until he has seen a script.

Continue reading: Skyfall Star Ben Whishaw Insists: 'New Bond To Film This Year'

Ben Whishaw, who plays MI6 technical expert Q in Skyfall, has managed to relight the 007 fire just a week before The Oscars are set to celebrate the franchise’s 50 year anniversary, by hinting at a filming date for the 24th Bond film.

Speaking to The Radio Times, who were keen to find out if he had been in touch with Daniel Craig, Wishaw said, "we know that we'll probably be back together again in about ten months." Then, realising he’d possibly let the cat out of the bag, he quickly said, "Well, hopefully. Let's hope so!" Too late Ben, too late. Whishaw also talked about the reality of Craig doing more Bond films: "I know that he’s doing the next three so I’m not thinking beyond that. We’ve got to just get through those first," he said before opening up his character as the infamous Q. "Well obviously I would like just for him to be in it more!" he joked.

Lots of talk has surrounded Craig’s return as Bond, with some reports suggesting he wouldn’t be happy with a quick turnaround to make another film. Idris Elba was then mooted to take over as 007, becoming the first black James Bond in the process. As for the director, it looks as if Mendes has done enough to stay in the driver’s seat. He recently indicated he would be open to a second Bond film, saying: "we would want to make a better movie next time around".

BBC Two has decided against renewing newsroom drama The Hour for a third series, the corporation has confirmed. The show, starring Dominic West and Ben Whishaw, followed the lives of fictional BBC journalists at the Old Lime Grove studios in London, and despite showing early promise in its first run, failed to pull in the viewers for its sophomore season. Whishaw's performance as idealistic reporter Freddie Lyons was no doubt instrumental in his casting of Q in Sam Mendes' James Bond movie Skyfall.

The show, penned by Shame and The Iron Lady writer Abi Morgan, received multiple award nominations and drew around 2.2 million viewers for its first season. However, its second run pulled in just 1.47 millions on average, despite getting nods at the BAFTAs, Emmys and the Golden Globes. Broadcast magazine reported that Jane Fatherstone - chief executive of Kudos which produced the show - was "sad and disappointed," by the decision, as the original aim had been to produce three series. A BBC spokeswoman said, "We loved the show but have to make hard choices to bring new shows through."

Though it's bad news for The Hour cast and crew, it's hard to conceive its lead stars will be short of work in the near future. In fact, it was recently announced that Dominic West would play Welsh acting legend Richard Burton in a BBC Four drama charting his relationship with Elizabeth Taylor. Whishaw recently completed filming Terry Gilliam's computer hacker drama The Zero Theorem with Christoph Waltz and Matt Damon.

Continue reading: On Borrowed Time: BBC Two Axes Dominic West Starring 'The Hour'