Artemis Fowl movie to go ahead... without Weinstein

IRISH author Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl fantasy books will be made into a film — but disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein will no longer be involved.

While Weinstein’s name is still listed as a producer, he is no longer attached to the project.

On movie site Imdb, Weinstein’s name can be seen alongside Colfer’s and producer Kenneth Branagh, but he has been dumped from the project as he battles serial allegations ao sexual assualt. ‘We have terminated his services as producer,’ a spokesperson for Disney, which has been developing the project with Weinstein for years, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Irish youngster Ferdia Shaw has beaten 1,200 hopefuls to be cast in the lead role of the young criminal mastermind. Meanwhile, Irish playwright Conor McPherson has written the script.

Colfer has garnered huge acclaim for his books which have sold more than 20 million copies worldwide.

The film, which reportedly also stars Judi Dench, is due to hit cinemas in August 2019.