First look at Anthony Hopkins as Alfred Hitchcock

A first look at Hopkins as Hitchcock. Photo / Fox Searchlight Pictures

Uncanny: The first image of Sir Anthony Hopkins in full makeup as iconic film director Alfred Hitchcock has hit the net.

Hopkins plays the legendary Master of Suspense in Hitchcock, the recently-retitled movie based on the book Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho by Stephen Rebello.

The star-studded movie, directed by Sacha Gervasi (2008 documentary Anvil! The Story of Anvil), is described as a love story between the auteur and his wife Alma Reville (Helen Mirren), and chronicles the filmmaker's battle with an indifferent studio which refused to finance the production of Psycho.

Hitchcock ended up financing the project himself. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Also joining Hopkins in Hitchcock, which began shooting, rather fittingly, last week on Friday the 13th, are Scarlett Johansson as Janet Leigh; Jessica Biel as actress Vera Miles; Toni Collette as Hitchcock's secretary Peggy; and James D'Arcy as leading man Anthony Perkins, who played Norman Bates.

Earlier this week, it was announced that the original Karate Kid, Ralph Macchio, has also joined the all-star cast. He'll play Psycho screenwriter Joe Stefano.

Macchio Tweeted his excitement about joining the project: "Really looking forward to the privilege of working with one of the greatest actors of our time."

Johansson has also dished on her role in the movie, and addressed whether she'll be tackling that infamous shower scene.

Speaking to Access Hollywood, while plugging her upcoming movie The Avengers, the 27-year-old actress revealed: "We will not be re-shooting the entire shower sequence, no."

As for Hopkins' take on the big man himself, prepare to be blown away, said Johansson.

"I've seen some makeup tests recently, and just watching [Anthony] play Hitchcock is pretty memorable in itself," she said. "He's gonna be bananas! I can't wait for that - I'm very excited."

Based on this sneak peek of Hopkins at Hitch, so am I.

What say you, readers?

The Fox Searchlight movie is scheduled for release in 2013.

Check out the original teaser trailer for Psycho below:

- Blogger Bites Back