Prepare your 'high hopes' jokes now, because Mike Newell's adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic novel Great Expectations is set to close the 56th London Film Festival this year. With Frankenweenie kicking off the festival, this means we now know what will be bookending this year's prestigious 12 day long celebration of the cinematic arts between October 10-21. With the screenplay written by David Nicholls (One Day, Starter For Ten) the film stars Helena Bonham Carter (Ms. Havisham), Ralph Fiennes (Magwitch), Robbie Coltrane (Mr. Jaggers), Uncle Pumblechook (David Walliams), Jason Flemyng (Joe Gargery) and War Horse's Jeremy Irvine as the young lead, Pip. Newell's team are clearly hoping to eclipse the already successful BBC adapation from earlier in the year.
As you'll see from the stills above, there's a distinct difference in feel between Newell's take and David Lean's 1946 film, still regarded as the king of of Dickens adaptations (aside from The Muppet Christmas Carol, of course. That goes without saying) so we're looking forward to this one. The BFI London Film Festival runs from October 10-21, and Empire will be there to cover it. | 
