The first official image from the upcoming black comedy, Burke & Hare has just been released.
Directed by John Landis, the film stars Simon Pegg (Star Trek) and Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy) in the title roles, and is based on the true story of two 19th century serial murderers and grave robbers who discover the highly profitable business of providing cadavers to a medical school in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The film is currently in production and is slated to be released later this year. Burke & Hare also stars Isla Fisher, Tim Curry, John Cleese, and Tom Wilkinson. Now that's a comedic movie line-up that we can all look forward to.
Hit the jump to check out the intriguing image from Empire Online and the complete synopsis.
Here's the complete synopsis we got from last year's American Film Market. By a "complete" synopsis, we mean it covers the film all the way to the end, so if you want to avoid spoilers, best not to read ahead.
WILLIAM BURKE and WILLIAM HARE are scratching out a living in 1830s Edinburgh. After yet another failed business venture, they return to Hare’s lodging house to find that their tenant has suddenly died on rent day. As the boys decide how to dispose of the body over a drink, they discover that a corpse can fetch a hefty price. Edinburgh is the centre of the medical universe and the city’s doctors are crying out for more cadavers for their educational lectures. First they try the infamous DR. MONRO, but he’s not interested, so they sell the corpse to DR. KNOX, his vain and ambitious rival who urges them to bring any more ‘unfortunates’ they may stumble upon.
Entrepreneurial Hare is quick to realize they’ve hit on a great money making venture and despite the more sensitive Burke’s misgivings, they embark on a series of plans to secure more bodies. They arrange a series of deadly ‘accidents’ for the local unfortunates and to celebrate their success, they go out on the town to celebrate. There, Burke meets GINNY, a beautiful and spirited aspiring actress.
Drive on by the promise of romance, Burke agrees to step up their operation; branching out into “ethical” murder. The professional rivalry between Knox and Munro is creating a very lucrative trade for the boys as Knox needs extra bodies for his groundbreaking photographic map of the human body. In a series of hilarious comic misadventures Burke and Hare begin to secure a steady stream of bodies and the cash starts rolling in.
With the authorities closing in, Hare promises Burke he’s got a new plan; they just need a bit more money and then they can go legit and open a funeral parlour.
The pressure builds when Knox is arrested after dissecting some well known locals and he immediately implicates Burke and Hare as his supplier of fresh corpses.
Burke and Hare sweat it out in the cells as a crowd gathers baying for bloody. In a wild, but romantic gesture, Burke volunteers to take the rap to save his friend and the love of his life, Ginny. As the hangman’s noose goes around his neck, our hero is smiling bravely and when asked for his final words, he pronounces “I did it for love.”