Morethan a year ago I told you that Oscar winner Chloe Zhao will helm the movie adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's HAMNET but now we have the first trailer with Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley in the leads. This historical fiction novel imagines the story of Agnes, the wife of the
world’s most famous writer, William Shakespeare, as she struggles to
come to terms with the loss of her only son, Hamnet. It charts the
emotional, familial and artistic consequences of that loss, bringing to
life a human and heart-stopping story as the backdrop to the creation of
The Bard’s Hamlet. Joe Alwyn also stars in the movie out December 12th.
Morethan a year ago I told you that Oscar winner Chloe Zhao will helm the movie adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's HAMNET but now we have the first image with Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley in the leads. This historical fiction novel imagines the story of Agnes, the wife of the
world’s most famous writer, William Shakespeare, as she struggles to
come to terms with the loss of her only son, Hamnet. It charts the
emotional, familial and artistic consequences of that loss, bringing to
life a human and heart-stopping story as the backdrop to the creation of
The Bard’s Hamlet. Joe Alwyn also stars in the movie out December 12th.
As Variety reports, Peter Straughan, who adapted “Wolf Hall” has set the story of William Shakespeare’s first folio as his next movie. FOLIO will tell
Peter Straughan is directing and penning
how a collection of Shakespeare’s works were assembled seven years after his death and preserved for future generations. Four hundred years on from its original publication, FOLIO follows the journey of Shakespeare’s former Kings Men colleagues, actors John Heminges and Henry Condell, as they embark on a picaresque road trip through an England on the brink of Puritanism and gather the material to keep their friend’s work and memory alive. Historians believe that had it not been for Heminges and Condell’s efforts, half of Shakespeare’s works would not be known to us today.
Marking the 400th anniversary of the publication of William Shakespeare's First Folio, gripping three-part docuseries SHAKESPEARE: RISE OF A GENIUS tells the incredible story of how a glover’s son from rural Stratford became the greatest writer who ever lived.
Taking a deep dive into Shakespeare’s life story, the place and time he inhabited and the work he produced, the three part series reveals a dangerous and exciting world filled with bitter rivalries, rebellion, murder and deadly plague, that ignited and nourished his creative genius.
Cinematic drama vignettes depict Shakespeare’s life alongside a host of stars and experts, including Dame Judi Dench, Brian Cox, Adrian Lester, Helen Mirren, Martin Freeman andJessie Buckley, alongside academics and writers bringing fresh insights into the story of Britain's greatest writer.
Tracing Shakespeare’s life story, each episode follows the triumphs and setbacks of his writing life, revealing how the people he met and the world he witnessed found their way into his work. The series starts on BBC Two from November 8th. Daniel Boyarsky plays Shakespeare himself in the series.
A few weeks ago I told you that Oscar winner Chloe Zhao will helm the movie adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's HAMNET but now the word around the town is that Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley are in talks to take the leads. This historical fiction novel imagines the story of Agnes, the wife of the world’s most famous writer, William Shakespeare, as she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her only son, Hamnet. It charts the emotional, familial and artistic consequences of that loss, bringing to life a human and heart-stopping story as the backdrop to the creation of The Bard’s Hamlet.
And it is not to be mixed up with the Shakespeare's life series from Stephen Knight and Sarah Lancashire that I announced a few days ago. THEROSY CROSS: THE REBELS WHO WROTE SHAKESPEARE will be a separate series from Lasse Hallberg who has already set a cast with
Stephen Campbell Moore will probably be Bacon
Stephen Campbell Moore, Romario Simpson, Samuel Barnett, Jonny Weldon and Ed Hughes who is also a co-producer!
THE ROSY CROSS
is based on research claiming to identify the real and
diverse underground writing group of men and women who secretly crafted
the plays under the pseudonym of William Shakespeare, led by the great
English philosopher Francis Bacon. It follows a shadowy order of diverse
freedom fighters from all walks of life who wage a covert war to
protect freedom of speech and civil rights, by using plays
Samuel Barnett and Ed Hughes are also in the cast
to spread
knowledge, bury secrets and empower the masses.
It promises to take a deep dramatic dive into the heady melting pot of
the 16th Century underground, where freedom fighters literally were
writing for their lives, all to help people learn about the
ever-changing world they lived in.
THE GALLOWS POLE
1ST LOOK FROM BBC SERIES
BBC Two has, meanwhile, sent us the first images from their new historical series THE GALLOWS POLE which, based on the book by Benjamin Myers, fictionalises the remarkable true story of the rise of David Hartley and the Cragg Vale Coiners. Set in the moorland hills of 18th Century Yorkshire, the drama follows the enigmatic David Hartley (played by Michael Socha), as he assembles a gang of weavers and land-workers to embark upon a revolutionary criminal enterprise that will capsize the economy and become the biggest fraud in British history. Also starring are Sophie McShera who plays Grace, with Thomas Turgoose as William Hartley, Yusra Warsama as Bethsheba, Anthony Welsh as Abe Oldfield, Samuel Edward-Cook as Isaac Hartley, Joe Sproulle as Joe, and Adam Fogerty as James Broadbent, Nicole Barber-Lane as Susie, Fine Time Fontayne as Joseph Broadbent, with Ralph Ineson as The Clothier. The three part series will come to BBC Two and iPlayer May 31st.
Julia star Sarah Lancashire and Steven Knight are teaming up on making a drama series on WILLIAM SHAKE SPEARE, which will tell the
Lancashire will produce via her production company
complete story of the glove-maker’s son who became the greatest storyteller in history and how his genius survived and thrived in an age of turmoil and terror, danger and disease. As Variety reports, it aims to be the first full account of the passion, people and politics that made William Shakespeare the world’s most famous dramatist and the men and women around him who loved and labored, schemed and plotted, killed and connived in one of the most dangerous periods in history. Sarah Lancashire, who came up with the idea for the series, will produce through her production company.
EMPIRE MOVIE TRAILER
FROM COLONIAL DENMARK
Available for viewing to the Danish cinemagoers as of this weekend is their sprawling historical movie drama EMPIRE (Viften) which already had its
Empire is out as of April 20th in Denmark
world premiere earlier this January at Goteborg Film Festival in the neighbouring Sweden. Coming from Meta Film studio, the movie was directed by Frederikke Aspock and delves deeply into Denmark’s colonial past in the Danish West Indies in 1848.
EMPIRE FOLLOWS
Anna Heegaard and Petrine (Sara Fanta Traore) who are close
friends. Both women are colored, but their living conditions are very
different – Anna is free and owns the enslaved Petrine. Anna lives
with Governor-General Peter von Scholten (Claus Riis Østergaard) at his
country house, where she manages the home, the fortune and her beloved
and trusted housekeeper Petrine. Everything seems to be as it should be,
until rumors of a rebellion begin to swirl. Which side are Anna and
Petrine really on – and is it the same? This absurdist satire drama was
written by Anna Neye who also plays the lead role.
As Screen Daily reports British stars Iain Glenn and Anna Maxwell Martin will lead Vincent Regan's directorial debut INCARNADINE which will be a reworking of Macbeth with them playing Macbeth and Lady
The movie will be a rework of the famous play
Macbeth. They both already played the roles in theatre. The title ’Incarnadine’ refers to the process of turning something blood red, and is a reference to a line in the Shakespeare's play.
UNCLE FRANK TRAILER
SAYS THAT NO ONE COMES HOME WITHOUT BAGGAGE
Uncle Frank is out this Thanksgiving!
Amazon has, meanwhile, released the first trailer for comedy drama UNCLE FRANK which is out November 25th offering you a chance to see Paul Bettany and Peter Macdissi playing a gay couple!
In 1973, when Frank Bledsoe (Paul Bettany) and his 18 year old niece Beth (Sophia Lillis) take a road trip from Manhattan to Creekville, South Carolina for the family patriarch's funeral, they're unexpectedly joined by Frank's lover Walid (Peter Macdissi). Steve Zahn, Judy Greer, Margo Martindale also star in the film written and directed by Oscar winner Alan Ball who hasn't directed a cinematic film since 2007 but has worked for the television.
Andrew Lincoln will be the father of the Bloom family
ANDREW LINCOLN
JOINS PENGUIN BLOOM!
I remember that I announced this one some four or five years ago, but it seems PENGUIN BLOOM is finally moving on with production with Andrew Lincoln being cast next to already announced Naomi Watts who is producing the heart warming story based on the bestseller by Bradley Trevor Greive and Cameron Bloom.
PENGUIN BLOOM
is a true story of a unique little bird that saves a family. Cameron and
Sam Bloom and their three boys were an everyday family until a shocking,
near fatal accident left Sam paralysed. She fell from a balcony while
on holiday in Thailand, and was left paralysed from the chest down. As
the family struggled to adjust to her new situation, an unlikely ally
entered their lives in the form of an injured Magpie chick which the
Bloom clan called Penguin. The wild bird became a mascot for the family.
1ST 'THE KING' PHOTO
ARRIVES FROM NETFLIX!
Netflix has released the first photo from their historical movie THE KING which will premiere at Venice Film Festival this year starring Timothee
Timothee Chalamet leads the David Michod directed movie
Chalamet as Hal, a wayward prince, who ascends the English throne upon his father's death, and must navigate the palace snake pit, chaos and inherited
Joel
Edgerton will play Sir Falstaff, Ben Mendelsohn is King Henry IV,
Robert Pattinson is dauphin of France in the new historical movie.
war against France. The adaptation of a number of Shakespeare's plays also stars Ben Mendelsohn, Robert Pattinson, Joel Edgerton and Sean Harris!
Even though it premiered back at the very beginning of 2018 at Sundance Film Festival, OPHELIA period set drama is finally getting a theatre release this summer, opening in Northern American cinemas June 28th! The reimagining of Shakespeare's famous tragedy Hamlet, has the story told from Ophelia's perspective! The movie, set in the 14th century but spoken in modern language, is based on the award winning book by Lisa Klein and is
Massimo Cantini did the amazing costumes in the movie
also directed by a woman - Claire McCarthy who is currently directing BBC epic series The Luminaries, an adventure mystery set in the midst of New Zealand's 1860's gold rush!
THE STORY OF OPHELIA Daisy Ridley appears in the movie as the titular character. She
plays the most
trusted lady-in-waiting to the Queen Gertrude of Danmark (played by
Daisy Ridley plays the lead role of Ophelia in the film
Naomi Watts) who took her into Elsinore Castle as a rebellious and
motherless child! Soon enough, Ophelia captures the attention of the
young
Naomi Watts plays Gertrude the Queen of Denmark!
Prince Hamlet (played by George
MacKay) and a forbidden love blossoms and passionate romance kindles
between the two in secret! As the kingdom is
The dialogues in the movie are spoken in modern language.
on the brink of war amidst
its own political intrigue, lust and betrayal
begin to tear Elsinore Castle apart from within in this reimagining of
the
famed
The movie is based on an award winning book by Lisa Klein
Hamlet. When Hamlet’s father is murdered and the prince’s wits
begin to unravel
into an insatiable quest for vengeance, Ophelia sharply navigates the
Clive Owen plays evil king Claudius.
rules of power in Denmark all while struggling to choose between her
true love and her own life. The movie, which premiered at Sundance Film
Festival also
stars Clive Owen as Claudius and Tom Felton as Laertes with Nathaniel
Parker as the king!
This one already went through UK and US cinemas (in limited release in the pre award season) but is getting a wider US release next month May 10th! ALL IS TRUE is Kenneth Branagh's project which he not only directed, but also plays the lead role together with other two legendary British thespians Judi Dench and Ian McKellen! Written by Ben Elton, the historical movie offers a look at the final days in the life of renowned playwright William Shakespeare.
SHAKESPEARE'S FINAL YEARS
Sir Ian McKellen is Will's patron and possibly love.
This small scale movie is set in the summer of 1613, when, just 14
years after it had been built, the Globe Theater burned to the ground
due to errant sparks from a stage cannon during a performance of ALL IS
TRUE, the original title of a play believed to have been written by
Shakespeare and John Fletcher that a decade later was renamed Henry
VIII. Evidently demoralized by the destruction of his theatre, the 49
year old playwright (Kenneth Branagh) retreated to rejoin his wife (Judi
Dench) and two daughters, of whom he had seen very
Judi Dench plays Will's wife who was 8 years older than him.
little for some 20
years. Pressing even harder on him are thoughts of his son Hamnet, whom
he had scarcely known before his death at age 11 a decade earlier.
JUDI DENCH AND IAN MCKELLEN
His illiterate wife Anne is played by Judi Dench! She resents his disruptive arrival after so long! Lydia Wilson plays Will's daughter Susanna Hall
Kenneth Branagh has directed five films based on Shakespeare!
accused of being unfaithful to her husband John (Hadley Fraser). Kathryn Wilder plays Will's unmarried younger daughter Judith, Hamnet's twin sister
Interior scenes were shot using only candle light!
who can't even read and thinks her father wishes she died instead of her brother. Ian McKellen is dandy Earl of Southampton, the writer's patron and maybe something more.
FROM KENNETH BRANAGH FILM WITH JUDI DENCH, IAN MCKELLEN
All is True arrives next February!
1st trailer has been released for Kenneth Branagh's Shakespeare drama ALL IS TRUE which also stars Judi Dench and Ian McKellen!
The story is set in 1613 when Shakespeare is acknowledged as the greatest writer of
the age. But disaster strikes when his renowned Globe Theatre burns to
the
ground. Devastated, Shakespeare returns to Stratford, where he must face a
troubled past and a neglected family. Haunted by the death of his only
son
Hamnet, he struggles to mend the broken relationships with his wife
(Judi Dench) and daughters. In so doing, he has to examine his own
failings
Isn't Sir Ian McKellen lovely as Lord Southampton?
as husband and father. His very personal search for the truth uncovers secrets and lies within a family at war. Sir Ian McKellen is his patron, the Earl of
The movie will get a limited week long release in December ahead of the awards season but will get official release date in 2019
Southampton. Official movie release is set for February but it will play in selected theatres before Christmas ahead of Oscars nomination race.
FROM KENNETH BRANAGH FILM WITH JUDI DENCH, IAN MCKELLEN
1st photo has been released for Kenneth Branagh's Shakespeare drama ALL IS TRUE which also stars Judi Dench and Ian McKellen, set in 1613 when Shakespeare is acknowledged as the greatest writer of the age. But disaster strikes when his renowned Globe Theatre burns to the ground.
The movie will get a limited week long release in December ahead of the awards season but will get official release date in 2019
Devastated, Shakespeare returns to Stratford, where he must face a troubled past and a neglected family. Haunted by the death of his only son Hamnet, he struggles to mend the broken relationships with his wife (Dench) and daughters. In so doing, he is forced to examine his own failings as husband and father. McKellen is the Earl of Southampton.
'OPHELIA' TRAILER
STARRING DAISY RIDLEY, CLIVE OWEN AND NAOMI WATTS
Speaking of Shakespeare first trailer has been released for Claire McCarthy's OPHELIA period set drama which is arriving into cinemas next January starring Daisy Ridley as the titular character. She plays the most
Daisy Ridley and George MacKay are Ophelia and Hamlet
trusted lady-in-waiting to the Queen of Danmark (played by Naomi Watts). She soon captures the attention of Prince Hamlet (played by George
Massimo Cantini did the amazing costumes in the movie
MacKay) and a forbidden love blossoms. As war brews, lust and betrayal begin to tear Elsinore Castle apart from within in this reimagining of the
The movie is based on a book by Lisa Klein
famed Hamlet. The movie, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival also stars Clive Owen as Claudius and Tom Felton as Laertes and Nathaniel Parker as the king!
ADS MEMBERS TO THE TIMOTHEE CHALAMET'S ROYAL COURT
Robert Pattinson will be the French Prince!
I must admit this cast has zero charisma to me, but maybe you won't agree. After adding Timothee Chalamet and Joel Edgerton as leads in THE KING movie, Netflix has rounded up the cast with Ben Mendelsohn, Robert Pattinson, Sean Harris and Lily Rose Depp.
David Michôd directs the movie based on Shakespeare plays Henry IV and Henry V which follow a young disgraced prince Hal (Timothee
Chalamet) who inherits the crown at a particularly turbulent time in
English history and must learn what it means to be a king, guided by his
one true friend, Falstaff (Joel Edgerton). The story is set at the time
when England waged the Hundred Year war against France which
culminated with the famous 1415 Battle Of Agincourt!
Timothee Chalamet and Ben Mendelsohn are Henry V and Henry IV
French prince The Dauphin will be played by Robert Pattinson while Ben Mendelsohn will play Hal's daddy King Henry IV! Johnny's daughter Lily Rose Depp will portray French Princess Catherine, who will later on become
Tom Glynn Carney, Lily Rose Deep and Thomasin Mckenzie
the wife of Henry V! Sean Harris will play a character named William, while Tom Glynn-Carney will be noble rebel Hotspur and Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie will be Henry V’s younger sister Princess Philippa!
first trailer with Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley in the leads. This historical fiction novel imagines the story of Agnes, the wife of the
world’s 
most famous writer, William Shakespeare, as she struggles to
come to terms with the loss of her only son, Hamnet. It charts the
emotional, familial and
artistic consequences of that loss, bringing to
life a human and heart-stopping story as the backdrop to the creation of
The Bard’s Hamlet. Joe Alwyn also stars in the movie out December 12th.
first trailer with Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley in the leads. This historical fiction novel imagines the story of Agnes, the wife of the
world’s 
most famous writer, William Shakespeare, as she struggles to
come to terms with the loss of her only son, Hamnet. It charts the
emotional, familial and
artistic consequences of that loss, bringing to
life a human and heart-stopping story as the backdrop to the creation of
The Bard’s Hamlet. Joe Alwyn also stars in the movie out December 12th.
