Malkovich, Imbruglia to Co-Star in Spy Spoof
John Malkovich and Australian pop thrush Natalie Imbruglia will co-star in “Johnny English,” the latest Rowan Atkinson comedy vehicle, for Universal Pictures.
The film is a spy caper spoof, with Atkinson of the 1997 comedy smash “Bean” starring as an incompetent British secret agent and Malkovich playing the villain, a scheming French business magnate.
Imbruglia, who acted in the Australian soap “Neighbors” before embarking on her pop singing career, will make her feature debut as a female agent lusted after by the title character.
Ben Miller (“The Parole Officer”) will play Atkinson’s sidekick.
The film, which starts shooting April 15, is directed by Peter Howitt from an original screenplay by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade (who wrote the last two Bond movies) and William Davies.
“Johnny English,” produced by Working Title Films, will be financed and distributed by Universal.