As a lifelong Shakespeare enthusiast and a die-hard Al Pacino fan, I can hardly contain my excitement for “Lear Rex.” With such an illustrious cast, this adaptation of one of The Bard’s greatest plays is set to be a cinematic masterpiece.
A star-studded ensemble is teaming up with the legendary Al Pacino for his upcoming film, King Lear Rex, a modern take on William Shakespeare’s “King Lear.” As reported by Deadline, ten highly acclaimed actors have agreed to participate in the movie. Pacino, an ardent admirer of The Bard, has gathered an impressive roster of Academy and Emmy award-winners and nominees for his fresh take on Lear, with filming set to commence August 12 in Los Angeles.
In this production, we’ve got an impressive lineup of stars joining forces. Academy Award winner Ariana DeBose, Emmy victor Rachel Brosnahan, Oscar nominee LaKeith Stanfield, Emmy nominee Peter Dinklage, Chris Messina, Ted Levine, Danny Huston, Matthew Jacobs, Rhys Coiro, and Stephen Dorff are all on board. The film is the brainchild of Bernard Rose (known for his work on ‘Candyman’ and ‘Anna Karenina’), who will both write and direct it. Barry Navidi, who has produced five other films featuring Al Pacino, is producing this project. According to Rose, speaking with Deadline, “It’s incredibly thrilling to have the chance to work with this exceptional cast that Al, Barry, and Sharon have assembled to take on this bold yet accessible adaptation of Shakespeare’s most renowned play.”
As you wipe away the surprise from seeing the cast list, here’s a glimpse of the official summary for “Lear Rex”:
In the story of Lear Rex, an older king, named Lear, decides to split his kingdom among his three daughters as a means to avoid future disputes. However, he disregards the one who genuinely loves him and instead places faith in his two wicked sisters. This misplaced trust leads them to seize power from their father, exiling him to a desolate, terrifying landscape where madness ensues.
Being a fan of Shakespeare’s works, Pacino has graced several stage productions of his plays and harbored dreams of bringing King Lear to the big screen. His journey with co-star Chastain began when they both starred in a play together in 2006. Later, he selected her for her first film role in “Wilde Salome“, which he also directed.
Breaking Down the Cast & Characters in Lear Rex
In the film Lear Rex, Al Pacino takes on the lead role as King Lear. This acclaimed actor is recognized for his stellar performances in films such as The Godfather trilogy, Heat, Dog Day Afternoon, Scarface, Serpico, and earning an Oscar for Best Actor for Scent of a Woman (1991). On the other hand, Jessica Chastain portrays Goneril. This exceptionally gifted actress won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as Tammy Faye in The Eyes of Tammy Faye. She also received Oscar nominations for her roles in The Help and Zero Dark Thirty, with her impressive career encompassing films like Interstellar, The Martian, and Molly’s Game. Most recently, she starred in the Showtime series George and Tammy.
Ariana DeBose, who garnered popularity and received an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Anita in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 remake of West Side Story, will appear as Cordelia in the film Lear Rex. Upcoming movies featuring DeBose include Blumhouse’s House of Spoils and Marvel’s Kraven the Hunter, where she takes on the role of Calypso. Additionally, DeBose has a strong background in theater, with her most notable stage performance being in the Broadway production of Hamilton.
Coming next is Rachel Brosnahan, who will play Regan in Lear Rex. Known for her award-winning performance as “Midge” Maisel on Amazon Prime Video’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (which earned her an Emmy and two Golden Globes), she has also wrapped up filming her role as Lois Lane in James Gunn’s Superman production.
Lakeith Stanfield is portraying Edmund. He received an Oscar nomination for his remarkable performance in “Judas and the Black Messiah” (2020) in the Best Actor category. His acting career has been quite diverse, with recent appearances in Disney’s “Haunted Mansion,” Apple TV+’s “The Changeling,” and other notable films such as “Knives Out,” “Selma,” “Uncut Gems,” “The Girl in the Spider’s Web,” and “Sorry to Bother You.”
Actor Peter Dinklage, famed for his roles in “Game of Thrones” and “The Station Agent,” has been cast as The Fool. Dinklage’s portrayal of Tyrion Lannister in “Game of Thrones” earned him four Primetime Emmys. His upcoming projects include a role in the movie version of “Wicked.”
In addition to our lead actor, the remaining cast features Chris Messina known for films like “Air,” “Based on a True Story,” and “Argo” portraying Cornwall; Ted Levine from “The Silence of the Lambs” and “Heat” playing Kent; Danny Huston who starred in “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1” as Albany; Matthew Jacobs, best recognized for “Vice,” taking on Gloucester; Rhys Coiro, known for his roles in “Entourage” and “The Penguin,” playing Oswald; and lastly, Stephen Dorff, famous for movies such as “Blade” and “The Righteous Gemstones,” assuming the role of Poor Tom.
Lear Rex
does not yet have an announced release date.
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2024-08-02 15:33