The story of Cú Chulainn. A film I'd love to see get made.

The last big budget Irish film was Michael Collins. That was 21 years ago! That's just not on at all! Everyone loves us or so we hear, therefore it stands to reason that everyone would love to see another massive Irish film right? 

And what could this massive film be? Why a mega budget film version of the story of Cú Chulainn, one of the most famous stories in Irish mythology. And why not? The historical fantasy genre is massive. Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit were huge. Game Of Thrones is a still a global phenomenon 6 years into it's run. Imagine a story as rich and full of fantasy as those but with an Irish slant? Come on. It would be amazing. An action packed epic full of celtic mysticism*

*Colm Meaney in Intermission has made this phrase a fave of mine :D

We could see him growing up as Setanta (his birth name), his training with Scáthach, a fearsome woman warrior, falling in love with her sister Aífe, his life long friendship with Ferdiad and the famous confrontation with the hound of Chulainn that gave him his name. We could see him defend Ulster single handedly against Warrior Queen Medb at the battle of Cooley. We'd see some of the self made tragedy that entered his life. And I'd love to see what happens when he went into his infamous battle fury where he killed everyone that came near him be it friend or foe. And his death is really the stuff of legend. A true warrior's demise. 

Nicky English style

There were rumours a few years ago that Michael Fassbender was attached to play the great man. He's proved his action chops with 300 and Centurion and as Magneto in the X-Men films and would be a great home grown pick for this. And come on, it would have to be an Irish actor. Brendan Gleeson could be great as Chulainn or Conchobar Mac Nessa, the King Of Ulster. He has plenty of experience with historical war epics such as Braveheart, Troy & Kingdom Of Heaven. Maybe Saoirse Ronan or Ruth Negga as Queen Medb? Tbh Medb needs her own film too. Liam Cunningham would be perfect in this too. As a matter of fact every film is made better by the addition of Liam Cunningham.

Imagine seeing the stories we learned as kids on the big screen? Imagine the buzz you'd have watching this in a cinema full of cheering Irish people. 

There's swathes of stories to choose from aside the above. Tír Na nÓg. The children of Lir. The Tuatha Dé Danann. Fionn Mac Cumhaill. A rich deep tapestry of mythology that is mostly untapped. Song Of The Sea, a family film from 2014 recently delved into the stories of selkies and it was phenomenal stuff. Now imagine a grown up retelling of some of these myths. 

Aw man this could be lethal.