From the best news ever department: Wes Anderson wants Angela Lansbury for his next movie

[Will42]

FINAL UPDATE: I guess it sounded too good to be true. Due to the fact that filming has been pushed back for a month from December to mid-January Angela Lansbury had to drop out, since she’ll be starring in the stage production of Driving Miss Daisy, which opens on February, 5.
Such a bummer.
On a bright side Ralph Fiennes is joining the cast, most likely as a replacement for Johnny Depp.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/ralph-fiennes-makes-a-reservation-at-wes-andersons-grand-budapest-hotel-20121009

Update: Angela Lansbury Confirmed For Wes Anderson's 'Grand Budapest Hotel'

It seems what Wes Anderson wants, Wes Anderson gets. Earlier this summer, with "Moonrise Kingdom" doing solid business in theaters, the writer/director started putting the pieces together for his next film, "The Grand Budapest Hotel," eyeing Johnny Deep, Jude Law and Angela Lansbury as potential players alongside his usual roster of actors such as Bill Murray, who recently confirmed he'll be taking part. Depp and Law are both on board, and another wish is coming true for Anderson.
Bona fide legend and the always excellent Angela Lansbury has revealed she too will be featuring in the film. “I’m playing woman of mystery, it’s minuscule role. I’m on the screen probably for less than 5 minutes,” the "Murder, She Wrote" star told U.K. magazine The Gentlewoman (via The Film Stage).

Details are still under wraps about the movie, the only information at the moment being that it's a Euro-based tale (as shooting in Germany and the title would suggest), with one character being a psychic medium. But Depp + Law + Murray + Lansbury? Damn, Anderson could stop there and we'd be ready to buy a ticket. "Moonrise Kingdom" team Scott Rudin and American Paintbrush are behind this one as well. Could we see back-to-back movies from Anderson? Fingers crossed.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/angela-lansbury-confirmed-for-wes-andersons-grand-budapest-hotel-20120925

Previous information (JULY 9, 2012):

Ms. Lansbury have been saying many times that she wants to play one great film role and looks like it's finally happening. I'm beyond excited and really hope she accept the part and everything works out well. The Best Man, Anastasia workshop, Driving Miss Daisy Australian Tour, potential new film with a great cast and director... 87 years old, who?

Wes Anderson Seeking Out Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Willem Dafoe, Angela Lansbury & More For His Next Movie

"Moonrise Kingdom" not only earned Wes Anderson some of the best reviews in years, but has also done extremely well in limited release, where it's pulled in $37 million worldwide thus far and has been cracking the top ten domestically, even though it's in less than 900 theaters. And it seems he's very eager to get back behind the cameras.
Twitch reports that the director is approaching an exciting list of names to appear in his currently untitled ensemble movie, with phone calls being made to Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Angela Lansbury as well as previous collaborators Owen Wilson, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum, Adrien Brody and Willem Dafoe. The director hasn't been shy in talking up the new movie, revealing through the press rounds for "Moonrise Kingdom" a few things including: the script is done and it will be Euro based movie; it will reunite him with Owen Wilson (which seems to be a mere formality at this point); and one character will be a personal medium. That's all that's known for now, but he's certainly aiming high for the cast. Also? Angela Fucking Lansbury. Awesome.

It's too early to say when this will shoot as it will likely depend on all the usual factors -- financing/casting/scheduling -- but he won't be sitting. This fall, Peter Bogdanovich's "Squirrel To The Nuts" will go in front of cameras with Anderson and Noam Baumbach producing. But if you were worried that might get in the way or delay work on Anderson's next feature, you can put those fears aside.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/wes-anderson-seeking-out-johnny-depp-jude-law-willem-dafoe-angela-lansbury-more-for-his-next-movie-20120709#

[BwayEqs]

She already has played a great film role. Mrs. Price in Bednobs and Broomsticks.

[Wynbish]

Love Wes Anderson! I think she would fit right in with his style.

[Musicaldudepeter]

I have a feeling she wants to win her Oscar. Not saying that's why she's doing this, it's probably a good project, but she really deserves to win. She should've won years ago, but it never happened

[Will42]

She has played many great film roles during her career, but she meant post-Murder, She Wrote.

[JoeKv99]

Wes Anderson has made more crap movies than the next 10 super indulgent directors put together. The idea that he would somehow fulfill Lansbury's Hollywood dreams would be laughable if it wasn't so flat out offensive.

[Will42]

At this point I'll just take new film role, but of course it would be fantastic if this film would lead to some awards buzz. She so should have won on her 3rd Oscar nomination in 1962. Her turn in The Manchurian Candidate is among one of the greatest film performances ever.
If everything works well, it will only be her 3rd film role in 27 years.

[Wynbish]

Is it bad that I thought she was so cute in Nanny McPhee?

[JoeKv99]

Has anyone ever won an Oscar for their permanence in a Wes Anderson "film"?

[Kad]

Are his films not actually films, Joe?

[JoeKv99]

I was "channeling" the late great Patrick Dennis and his whimsical use of quotes.

[TalkinLoud]

I'm not the biggest Wes Anderson fan (though I like him way more than JoeKv here does apparently!), but this would be awesome news.

[EricMontreal22]

I'm with Joe--although I think it would be great to see her in anything on the silver screen. I only like Wes' movies when he's ripping off Salinger.

[Will42]

That makes two of us. I love that little film and she was great in it (as the rest of the cast).
Can't say the same about Mr. Poppers Penguins, unfortunately. Not that it was bad, but I feel like I would have appreciated it a lot more if I was about 4 years old.

[Overkill]

I LOVE Wes Anderson, The Darjeeling Limited is one of my favorite movies, so this is indeed excellent news! I hope he writes a really great part for her. No, this is not what she'll win an Oscar for, but this is still a really great thing.

On a side note, I always wanted to see what Wes would do with a film adaptation of COMPANY...

[Mister Matt]

Moonirise Kingdom looks to be the only Wes Anderson film I may enjoy since Rushmore. Hope he uses Angela Lansbury wisely.

He never makes a movie or a picture or a flick, he makes a "film", get it? A "film".

[Kad]

I was waiting for someone to make that reference, Matt.

[Auggie27]

MOONRISE is a distinctive charmer and I very much enjoyed it. But if I were choosing a director for Ms. Lansbury, and nobody asked me, I'd go in a different direction. Lansbury coveted the Judy Dench role in NOTES ON A SCANDAL, said she would've killed for it, and that's frankly the type of part I'd like to see her in. Something with grit and devoid of Anderson's touch of whimsy.

I'd like to see her in something like, say, the Geraldine Page role in Allen's INTERIORS. She's be brilliant. But a cute old lady maybe with too many pets, eccentric digs and Madwoman eye makeup, no.

[blaxx]

I was hoping for Wes Craven

[CurtainPullDowner]

I was also thinking The Woodman could write her something juicy, how many woman have been nominated or won for an Allen Flick?

[Auggie27]

Really, Woody Allen should write her a role, if not like Page's, comparable to the one Maureen O'Sullivan played in HANNAH. She'd take the smallest gem and make it memorable. (O'Sullivan was adequate, surrounded by some great work, but edited well so it didn't matter.) If he still wrote stories about New Yorkers, instead of Europeans, he could write a great tale of an upper west sider for Lansbury.

[HorseTears]

This is lovely news. Hope it works out. And, yes, I agree with the last couple of posts, a Woody Allen role would be great.

Was Angela up for Notes on a Scandal? That movie was so ridiculous, but I bet she would have made the most of that part. She'd probably still be digesting the scenery.

[Jay94]

I would love it if this is the role she's been waiting for, she has publicly spoken about wanting one last great film role.

[Will42]

Come to think of it, I'm kinda surprised Allen has never worked with her. Especially in the 70's and 80's.
As for Notes on a Scandal, she was never considered for the part, but she said that that's the kind of role she would love to play (I believe it was on a View a couple of years ago).

[henrikegerman]

Hasn't she said "one MORE great film role." If not, one may well ask why she wouldn't regard Eleanor Shaw Iselin in THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE as one of the great film roles of hers or any career?

[Will42]

Indeed, it was 'one more great film role'.
Gaslight, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Harvey Girls, State of the Union, The Long, Hot Summer, The Dark at the Top of the Stairs, All Fall Down, The World of Henry Orient, Something for Everyone, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Death on the Nile and most notably The Manchurian Candidate were all great achievements.