Fairy tales told to children over the years of beautiful princesses being rescued by their one true love have been around since the dawn of time. Tales of Knights in shining armor coming to the aid of a damsel in distress, tales of slaying dragons and defeating the wicked witch are a thing of legend. It is, however, becoming widely known that these fairy tales were originally much darker, as none other than The Brothers Grimm.
Born in the 1700s, the brothers Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm dedicated their lives to traveling the world in search of these folktales. What they recorded throughout history became the foundation for most modern-day fairy tales. Forever a part of culture, in 2005, Terry Gilliam (director of 1975’s Monty Python and the Holy Grail) decided to embellish and exaggerate the brothers in a Comedy/Horror/Fantasy film titled The Brothers Grimm. With a star-studded cast and a fantastic writer, Ehren Kruger (The Ring 2002, Top Gun: Maverick 2022), The Brothers Grimm was brought into the modern world and became a masterpiece.
Released in theaters on November 4, 2005, through Dimension Films, Matt Damon took on the role of Wilhelm Grimm, the older, more serious, and realistic brother. While Wil’s interests were how to make more money and which girl would be more willing to hop into bed with him, this was a character type that Damon was fond of portraying due to his good looks and ability to put on the charm. Matt Damon has had a very lucrative career, with significant roles in films such as Good Will Hunting in 1997 and, of course, the Bourne tetralogy from 2002 to 2016. This all being said, The Brothers Grimm almost seemed to be a preposterous gig.
Heath Ledger’s character, as a driving force behind the story, joined Damon. Mostly known for his cinematic roles in 2001’s A Knight’s Tale, 2005’s Brokeback Mountain, and, of course, the unforgettable portrayal of the Joker in 2008’s The Dark Knight, Ledger took on the role of Jacob Grimm, the younger, more emotional/sensitive brother. The brothers embark on a journey that takes them from town to town, using Jacobs’ knowledge of fairy tales to con people into believing they are true witch hunters.
However, not everything was smooth sailing for The Brothers Grimm. In fact, production got off to a rocky start, with MGM initially picking it up but bailing when it ran into difficulties financing the film. Fortunately, it was Bob Weinstein (Dimension Films) who negotiated with MGM and Summit Studios to co-finance the film. With a projection of $75 million for full production, this would be Dimension’s most expensive film ever.
While casting was underway, the roles assigned were not precisely what the director had intended from the beginning. It is said that Gilliam preferred to cast Johnny Depp as Will Grimm, but Nicola Pecorini recommended Heath Ledger to Gilliam. Of course, Matt Damon, who was a fan of Gilliam’s 1981 Fantasy film Time Bandits, had always wanted to work with him. Thus, the two were cast. Changing things up, Bob Weinstein decided that Damon should play Will and that Ledger should play Jacob. As for the females in the film, several names were dropped, even Nicole Kidman’s as the Mirror Queen, though conflicting schedules led to a decline in the role. Meanwhile, Robin Williams initially accepted the role of Cavaldi but dropped out and was replaced by Peter Stormare (Fargo 1996, Until Dawn 2025). Taking on the role of Angelika was Lena Headey, a total badass in everything she stars in, and she played her part exceptionally well.
What some may not know is that the Weinsteins and Gilliam had many disagreements over the film, which led to significant tension on set, including a two-week delay in filming. Yet when filming wrapped and it was time for the big screen, tensions were higher than ever. The film was released in theaters across the United States and earned over $15,000,000 during its opening weekend, finishing second to The 40-Year-Old Virgin. However, the total gross exceeded $37,000,000.
After twenty years, The Brothers Grimm continues to gain notoriety. It is still aired on TV and is purchased/streamed worldwide. With that in mind, while there is currently no 4K Ultra HD release of The Brothers Grimm, hopefully it will come sooner than later. So, whether one finds the film unique, fun and very interesting or completely and utterly trash, the moral of the story is, The Brothers Grimm will be a love for many years to come.
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