KING LEAR- (Knightley, Hopkins, Paltrow)
 

It's about time we get some theatrical Shakespeare's films. This is one work of Shakespeare which I am not very familiar with but it sounds certainly interesting and noteworthy. Hopkins was amazing in Titus (which is my favorite Shakespeare work/film) and Knightley s a chick I find very easy to look at (no little boy jokes please!).
No director is set in place yet. May I suggest Kenneth Brannagh or Julie Taymor please?

More from coming soon.net:

"Keira Knightley will star in a new film adaptation of Shakespearean tragedy King Lear, according to the Telegraph.

She will play Cordelia, the youngest daughter of the King, who will be portrayed by Sir Anthony Hopkins.

Gwyneth Paltrow is tipped to take the role of Regan, Lear's treacherous middle daughter. His eldest daughter, Goneril, is yet to be cast.

The $35 million film was announced at the Cannes Film Festival and will feature epic battle sequences, according to its makers."

For $35 million dollars, you can't get that epic.

^They made Titus for about half that (granted that was in 1998-1999 money) and if King Lear can look half as good it'll be worth it.

Wow. That's very exciting news. It's an admirable effort, no matter how it turns out. Hopkins as Lear? I'm there.

Although, now that I think about it, they should have gotten Ian McKellen since he's currently doing an extremely successful stage version and receiving stellar reviews. He might have even winded up with the Oscar that he's been robbed of twice now.

^I think that they did film the Ian Mckellan version and it is planned to air on the BBC later this year though.

"epic battle sequences" SOLD!

As for Knightley, I'd bang that "little boy" all night long.

I don't know why they insist in casting Paltrow in these period pieces. That absolutley kills this for me.

What are the chances that this focuses more attention on Jean-Luc Godard's amazing adaptation of/riff on the play? That seems to be unfairly maligned primarily because most people haven't seen it, but it's a great film that delves into the themes of the Shakespeare play more than the story itself. I don't have much interest in the umpteenth version of the Shakespeare play-on-film otherwise, I'm afraid.

^ Didn't you see Shakespeare in Love

Source: The Guardian
June 28, 2008


"Naomi Watts has joined Anthony Hopkins, Gwyneth Paltrow and Keira Knightley in King Lear. Paltrow, Watts and Knightley will play Lear's (Hopkins) three daughters.

Director Joshua Michael Stern told The Guardian that more big names will be revealed soon.

The new film adaptation of Shakespearean tragedy is scheduled to begin shooting in Britain or Ireland early next year."

What a cast they already have and even more to be announced soon. Very cool.

Does Keira Knightly only sign onto films that have her play tragic characters?

Good cast so far, wonder what'll make it up on the big screen. Don't remember epic battles in play.

She has a period piece clause in her contract.

I think the most interesting aspect of this is Hopkins doing Shakespeare again. Surprisingly, Titus and this will be his only two on screen Shakespeare performances.

Regan and Goneril aren't in the play that much IIRC so it'll be interesting to see how this adaptation handles them.

Regan and Goneril are in it more than you think, I believe they are in every act. I mean the play is called King lear for a reason, so they're not stars, but the characters are featured enough.

I wonder who will play Edmund, he's always been amongst my favorite Shakespeare characters, and the casting is crucial, I think the role requires even more than Lear to be believeable.

Re: KING LEAR- (Knightley, Hopkins, Paltrow)
 

Sadly it Looks like this may not be happening after all:
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article...king-lear-dies
"...However, one project it seems we have certainly heard the last of is the King Lear project that was set to be directed by Joshua Michael Stern with Keira Knightley, Gwyneth Paltrow and Anthony Hopkins set to star as Paul Fisher from KeiraWeb dropped me a line to tell me after corresponding with Knightley’s agent he learned the project had been shelved.

Oh well, I guess we still have the Al Pacino version on the way."

Re: KING LEAR- (Knightley, Hopkins, Paltrow)
 

That's too bad. The cast looked good...

Re: KING LEAR- (Knightley, Hopkins, Paltrow)
 

Al Pacino sounds more interesting to me in the role than Hopkins. Not too disappointed.