New York director Woody Allen started filming his latest movie today. The shoot will last seven weeks and will take place in London, the city where his European idyll began in 2005 with Match Point. The cast features various big stars, including Anthony Hopkins, Noami Watts and Antonio Banderas.

The new film by the maker of movies like Manhattan, Sleeper or Sweet and Lowdown is a comedy drama about different members of a family, their love lives and attempts to resolve their complicated romances, according to the co-producer of the project, Mediapro, based in Barcelona. After the success of Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Allen signed an agreement with Catalan Jaume Roures’ production company to make three more films.

The best thing known about the movie so far is the star cast, which originally included Australian actress Nicole Kidman, but she was obliged to drop out due to a clash of commitments. In addition to Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins and Noami Watts, already mentioned, the film will feature American actor Josh Brolin, who Allen directed in Melinda Melinda , British actress Gemma Jones and Indian actress Freida Pinto, who rose to fame after appearing in Slumdog Millionaire .

The seventy-year-old filmmaker is already bringing out Whatever Works this year, starring the popular comedian Larry David, and will have to make a flying visit back to the States for the premiere. Meanwhile, the film he is now shooting is scheduled for release in cinemas in September 2010.