Victory! First pic of Langella as Nixon

Frank Langella is enjoying something of a career renaissance. The man known to most as Dracula and Skeletor has always been a top class actor but his turn as CBS chief executive William Paley in George Clooney€™s Good Night and Good Luck put him back on the radar. He was a last minute replacement for Hugh Laurie in Superman Returns and is now set to star alongside Cameron Diaz in Richard Kelly€™s The Box, however it€™s his role as Richard Nixon in Peter Morgan€™s Frost/Nixon that will likely push him back onto the elder statesman A-list. Morgan€™s play originated on the West End stage before moving to Broadway, then €“ with Ron Howard behind the camera - onto celluloid. Throughout each incarnation two things have remained the same: Michael Sheen as David Frost and Langella as Richard Nixon. At one point Warren Beatty and Jack Nicholson were flirting with the Nixon part. Both terrific actors but perhaps not the best choices for that particular role.

The OC Register has the first picture from the set of the film and it shows Langella recreating Nixon€™s famous €œvictory€ pose.

And here€™s the real Tricky Dicky for the sake of comparison.

I€™m going to call this way in advance, and it may come back to bite, but I honestly think that this film and the key players will be heading for awards glory in 2009. Don€™t be surprised if Langella, Sheen, Morgan and Howard take home Oscars for this film. Much will depend on how Howard handles the material. The story behind the Frost interviews is low-key and intimate. Howard needs to make the film lean, tight and economical... it should have an indie feel. If he does, then this will be Hollywood€™s answer to The Queen.

source - the oc register