‘Slumdog Millionaire’ Director To Direct 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony

Danny Boyle, the Oscar-Award winning director of Slumdog Millionaire, a film about three young people trying to survive and find themselves in the slums of India, will be directing the upcoming 2012 Olympic ceremonies in London.

According to the Washington Post, Boyle promises a “thrilling welcome,” but also acknowledges that it may not be as grandiose as the opening ceremonies in Bejing in 2008. Bejing’s opening ceremonies were considered some of the most spectacular welcomes in the history of the Olympics.

In addition to Boyle, director and producer Stephen Daldry will also be working on the ceremony. Together, they will have a budget of 40 million pounds.

Hints have been dropped about the director's plans for the 2012 ceremony. Lighting of the Olympic torch is central to their ideas, and they are considering having "zombies" run around on stage.

“It will be more modest than that,” said Boyle. “But our job is to make sure that within those means it is spectacular and delivers a thrilling welcoming to the opening of the Games.”