Contemporary Noir Thriller Ashes Star Ray Winstone, Jim Sturgess and Lesley Manville

Ray Winstone, Jim Sturgess, Lesley Manville, Jodie Whittaker and Luke Evans have joined for Mat Whitecross’s Ashes, a present day film noir produced by pop group Coldplay.

With Gwyneth Paltrow making steps into the music business, Chris Martin and his bandfellows are now dipping their toes into the deep water of film financing.

Set to star a pretty great cast including Jodie Whittaker (Attack the Block) and Luke Evans (Robin Hood), and is directed by Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll helmer Mat Whitecross. Must say the cast sounds too good not to take into account.

Fiesta Prods.’ Esther Douglas and Fiona Neilson will produce, while exec producer credits will go to CinemaNX’s Steve Christian and Marc Samuelson, Merzbau’s Phillip Kier and Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland and Will Champion.

Whitecross is rejoining with Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll scribe Paul Viragh to co-write Ashes,  said to be a contemporary noir thriller.

But, details on the actual story are nowhere to be found. As it’s not exactly revealed on which the film is based it might be interesting to speculate could it be Andrzej Wajda’ s masterpiece Ashes and Diamonds (1958) that secured him the Special Jury Prize at Cannes?

However, shooting is scheduled to commence on March 21 on location around the Isle of Man.

I suggest you first check out Coldplay’s album Viva la Vida and than the opening sequences of Ashes and Diamonds, by Polish great Wajda; or random.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuqPOluaJS8[/youtube]