A new animated short project aims to bring to life a legendary clash of intellects, as two of the great 20th century philosophers get literally heated. Titled Wittgenstein’s Poker, the film will depict the real-life story of the Cambridge Poker Incident, during which Ludwig Wittgenstein and Karl Popper’s dispute culminates in one of them brandishing a red-hot fire poker.
Richard E. Grant (Withnail and I) will take on the role of Ludwig Wittgenstein, while Karl Markovics (The Counterfeiters) will portray Karl Popper. Brian Cox (Succession) has been cast as Bertrand Russell, another famous philosopher present during the infamous confrontation in 1946.
The is directed by Christian De Vita, known for his previous work as the lead storyboard artist on Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox, Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie and for his role as series director on Disney Junior’s PJ Masks. The musical score will be composed by Oscar winning British composer Stephen Warbeck (Billy Elliot) and the screenplay has been penned by Casey Cohen, who also serves as the film’s producer.
Wittgenstein’s Poker is being produced with hand-drawn animation with a suitably nostalgic watercolor style. “Using a traditional 2D animation style, we aim to capture the intensity and brilliance of these iconic philosophers, creating a visually captivating narrative that will immortalize this historic moment on screen,” says De Vita.
This project is adapted from the book of the same name, written by BBC journalists David Edmonds and John Eidinow. The book has achieved best-seller status with translations in 18 languages and over half a million copies sold.
The filmmaking team has today launched a Kickstarter campaign to finance the project, selected by both Kickstarter and MIFA, who have jointly launched a call for creators as part of the Annecy International Animation Festival in June. Wittgenstein’s Poker is one of eight short films selected as part of this imitative.
Backers can anticipate exclusive rewards, such as signed script copies by all three cast members, a Wittgenstein drawing by Richard E. Grant, a storyboarding masterclass with the director Christian De Vita, a first edition copy of Wittgenstein’s Tractatus from 1922, and a guided tour of the room at Cambridge University where this event took place.
Learn more and sign on to support Wittgenstein’s Poker on Kickstarter.
