Making PoP 'fully satisfying' - And pick a sport for Olympian Jake...

Last night, Maggie Gyllenhaal was at a party with spectacular views over the city - although this does remind me a little of a certain scene in The Dark Knight, this time the city was Manhattan and no damage was done, so long as noone bought any of the luxurious diamonds and jewels. The party was for Piaget's US 'launch of their new Limelight Paris-New York jewelry and timepieces' - and it gives us the chance to see just how tall the beautiful Liv Tyler is (off topic: Jake was a guest at Liv's wedding to Royston Langdon back in 2003).


It was also good to see at the same event as a Gyllenhaal one of my favourites, Emmy Rossum, whom I once saw in LA looking perfectly gorgeous in yellow and gold. This party was such a contrast to (but possibly less fun than) another recent sighting of Maggie - at the Edgartown cinema on Martha's Vineyard with Naomi jigging along to Mamma Mia.



Meanwhile, Jake Gyllenhaal is no doubt hard at work battling scorching temperatures, the Vizier's sandy henchmen and tangines. In this interview with Comic Book Resources, Prince of Persia creator Jordan Mechner gives us a little more flavour of his vision for the whole franchise: 'I've always been fascinated by the Middle East, since I was a kid hearing "1001 Nights" stories. But through "Prince of Persia," the various projects, starting with "Sands of Time," that was when I first really went back and got what I would consider a solid grounding and read the original "1001 Nights" and "Book of Kings." I'm fascinated by that world, both the real history and the mythical aspects.'


Interestingly, when Disney's Aladdin came out, Jordan had worried that it would mean the end of the Prince of Persia franchise - because there would be no way to compete. But now, of course, Disney is behind the PoP movie. Jordan is asked about the extent of his involvement in the different elemements of the franchise: 'And the game, the movie, the graphic novel are all being done by different entities. It's not like I'm sitting on the top of a corporate structure running things. My involvement has been in particular projects. The first one, "Sands of Time," I wrote the story. So I think on every "Prince of Persia" I work on, of course, part of my job is to be true to what "Prince of Persia" is. Make it a good and worthy work in its own right. And the same with the movie. I wrote the screenplay for it. Part of the challenge of that was how to translate that as a movie while keeping the DNA and yet making it a fully satisfying movie.'


Jordan is also asked how the film is coming along: 'Great. Shooting has begun in Morocco. They have a great cast. Mike Nolan's [sic - it's Newell] a great director. It's going to be on a spectacular scale.' Are you going to the set? 'Absolutely, you think I'd miss that? And the game is going to be released in the holiday season, and that's looking really cool. It's kind of interesting, with the game and the movie and the graphic novel all hitting separately, but at around the same time. This is not something I could have foreseen 20 years ago!'


Although Jake is hard at work, I hope that he has some time to watch bits and pieces of the Olympics. Perhaps, like many of us, he will catch up on favourite events online due to the challenge of the time differences with China. With his physical fitness no doubt at its height due to the demands of playing a medieval prince in peril, I thought I'd take a look at the particular Olympic sports in which Jake would excel, given half a chance and a few weeks off to polish his training.


Athletics

Jake is speedy, of that there is no doubt, although I think some credit must be given to Jake's choice of Nike and to all that bottled water. But not only could Jake compete in the sprints, his training for Jarhead showed he had stamina - running five miles a day, then swimming and cycling - so he could also take part in a middle distance event or even - and I shudder just to think on it - the triathlon.



Cycling

Judging by the fact that Jake has a bicyle with his name written on it, that his car contains more spare bicycle wheels than a slow stretch of the Thames, and that Jake owns the entire LiveStrong cycling catalogue, it's fair to say that Jake likes to bike. It's also fair to say that we like it too.



Watersports

One of the biggest perks of being a moviestar is that you don't have to share swimming baths with slimy flotsam and sneezing kids as well as people who don't look where they're going. Although Jake has been seen on more occasions lounging by a pool rather than in one, he no doubt owns one and likes to take a dip now and again. As an ex-lifeguard, Jake is also useful to have around in a pool.


Jake has said how much he enjoys sailing when he is on Martha's Vineyard and, with those biceps, he'd be great in the rowing.


Jake's not bad on a board either...


Shooting

As someone who has received sniper shooting training from Jamie Foxx himself, Jake would be a safe bet for the shooting. He also displayed talent in this sport as a youngster. However, years later, up on Brokeback, he relied upon a more steady pair of hands.



Gymnastics

This is a strong area for Jake - whether trampolining, heaving himself up onto a highpole, lifting weights or (and I'm not 100% certain this is a bona fide Olympic sport) mudwrestling with semi-naked women while encased in a bubble, Jake has shown himself to be a natural gymnast.





He's also a blackbelt.


Equestrian events

You could put your money on Jake for horse events. While his dressage is no doubt a little rusty, he is so able a horseman he has combined two events in one - showjumping and fencing.


Ball sports

Ball sports are more controversial. Britain doesn't even have an Olympic soccer team because it can't decide who should be in it. And then there's the tennis and the basketball (oh and the beach volleyball). But, if the ball sports were less controversial and a little less professional, Jake would be one for the team.



'I didn't know that was a sport' sport

Every four years there appears to be some new unusual sport added to the Olympic rota - such as the introduction of ice sculpture (although not at the Summer Olympics). Should skateboarding ever become a sport (if it's not all ready and British TV just doesn't show it), then Jake may be interested.


Includes pictures from IHJ, Just Jared and Pop Sugar.