olympic fever

Danny Boyle’s Olympics Opening Ceremony: Paul McCartney and a Bunch of Farm Animals

Director Danny Boyle arrives at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards
Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Paul McCartney may be the most famous name slated for the 2012 London Olympics Opening Ceremony, but get a load of the other talent director Danny Boyle has recruited: “12 horses, 3 cows, 2 goats, 10 chickens, 10 ducks, 9 geese, 70 sheep and 3 sheep dogs” will all be grazing in the stadium as part of an evening titled Isles of Wonder (inspired by The Tempest, natch). There will also be a cricket team, “a parade of nurses,” and fake clouds that can dump rain on the proceedings, should the weather not be sufficiently British. All that’s missing is a Maggie Smith cameo. Get on that, U.K.!

Danny Boyle’s Opening Ceremony: McCartney, Goats