EXCLUSIVE: Academy Award winners Al Pacino and Jessica Chastain are set to star in Bernard Rose’s film adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear, titled Lear Rex. They will be joined by a notable cast including Academy Award winner Ariana DeBose (West Side Story), Emmy winners Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) and Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), Oscar nominee LaKeith Stanfield (Judas and the Black Messiah), as well as Chris Messina (Argo), Ted Levine (The Silence of the Lambs), Danny Huston (The Constant Gardener), Matthew Jacobs (Bar America), Rhys Coiro (Entourage), and Stephen Dorff (Blade).
Barry Navidi, who has previously collaborated with Pacino on films such as The Merchant of Venice, Wilde Salomé, Salomé, and this year’s Modi directed by Johnny Depp, is producing the film. Casting director Sharon Howard-Field has a longstanding professional relationship with Navidi. The finance partners for the project include Mattias Westman of Westman Films, Eco Entertainment, Dali Films, and World Vision. CAA Media Finance will handle North American rights, while Goodfellas will oversee international sales. Principal photography is scheduled to begin on August 12 in Los Angeles.
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In Lear Rex, an aging King Lear (Al Pacino) decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters to avoid future conflicts. He disinherits his youngest daughter, Cordelia (Ariana DeBose), who truly loves him, and instead places his trust in his two older, deceitful daughters. This decision leads to his downfall as they strip him of his power and drive him into a state of despair and madness. Jessica Chastain will portray Goneril, Rachel Brosnahan will play Regan, Peter Dinklage will take on the role of the Fool, Danny Huston will be Albany, Chris Messina will play Cornwall, LaKeith Stanfield will portray Edmund, Ted Levine will be Kent, Matthew Jacobs will play Gloucester, Rhys Coiro will take on the role of Oswald, and Stephen Dorff will appear as Poor Tom.
Writer-director Bernard Rose commented, “I’m thrilled to work with this extraordinary cast assembled by Al, Barry, and Sharon for this bold and accessible adaptation of Shakespeare’s greatest play.”
Producer Barry Navidi added, “I’m excited to collaborate with Bernard Rose on this project. His artistic vision, combined with a talented ensemble led by Al Pacino, promises a remarkable cinematic experience. This project represents a unique blending of Shakespearean drama and Hollywood flair, and it’s a privilege to work with my friend Al on this new chapter of his career.”
Ariana DeBose, who gained prominence for her role as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, receiving an Academy Award among other accolades, has several upcoming films. These include Blumhouse’s House of Spoils for Prime Video and Sony Pictures’ Kraven the Hunter. She also stars opposite Ke Huy Quan in With Love, set for a 2025 release by Universal, and recently finished filming Tow with Rose Byrne and Demi Lovato.
Rachel Brosnahan, known for her Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning performance as Miriam “Midge” Maisel in Amazon Prime Video’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, will next be seen as Lois Lane in the upcoming Superman for Warner Bros. and in James Hawes’ The Amateur alongside Rami Malek and Laurence Fishburne.
LaKeith Stanfield recently appeared in The Book of Clarence (Sony), Haunted Mansion (Disney), and the Apple TV+ series The Changeling, which he also executive produced. He received an Academy Award nomination in 2021 for his role in Judas and the Black Messiah. Upcoming projects include Play Dirty with Mark Wahlberg, Dermot Mulroney, and Tony Shalhoub; the film adaptation of El Paso, Elsewhere, which he will both star in and produce; and lending his voice to the documentary Ernest Cole: Lost and Found.
Peter Dinklage, a four-time Emmy winner for his role as Tyrion Lannister in HBO’s Game of Thrones, will next appear as Dr. Dillamond in Wicked (Universal Pictures), and in Brothers with Josh Brolin and Brendan Fraser. He will also be seen in The Thicket alongside Juliette Lewis and Ned Dennehy.
Chris Messina recently starred in I.S.S. (Bleecker Street), The Boogeyman (20th Century Studios), and Ben Affleck’s Air alongside Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Jason Bateman. He also appeared in Peacock’s Based on a True Story opposite Kaley Cuoco. Notable past credits include Argo and Hulu’s The Mindy Project. Upcoming projects include We’re Just Married opposite Lily Rabe and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2.
Ted Levine’s recent roles include Hulu’s Tiny Beautiful Things and Big Sky, AMC’s Mayfair Witches, and Netflix’s The Alienist. His film credits include The Silence of the Lambs, Heat, Shutter Island, Wild Wild West, The Fast and the Furious, and American Gangster. He will next star in Francesco Lucente’s Starbright with John Rhys-Davies and Elisabeth Röhm.
Danny Huston is known for roles in The Aviator (Martin Scorsese), Children of Men (Alfonso Cuarón), 21 Grams (Alejandro González Iñárritu), and The Constant Gardener (Fernando Meirelles). Upcoming projects include Raider opposite Aaron Eckhart, Ice Fall with Joel Kinnaman and Graham Greene, The Naked Gun with Liam Neeson, Kevin Durand, and Paul Walter Hauser, and The Crow with Bill Skarsgård.
Matthew Jacobs is recognized for his work on The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones and Doctor Who: The Movie. He has also directed the award-winning films Mothertime, Bar America, and the documentary Doctor Who Am I.
Rhys Coiro is well-known for his role as Billy Walsh in Entourage. He will next appear in Running on Empty opposite Lucy Hale, Trust with Sophie Turner, Katey Sagal, and Billy Campbell, and TV series Gotta Guy and The Penguin for Max.
Stephen Dorff’s film credits include Blade, Immortals, and Somewhere. Upcoming projects include The Gunslingers with Nicolas Cage and Heather Graham and People Not Places with Shirley MacLaine.
Al Pacino, Jessica Chastain, Peter Dinklage, and Chris Messina are represented by CAA. Ariana DeBose is represented by CAA, AC Management, The Lede Company, and Ryan LeVine at Jackoway Austen Tyerman. Rachel Brosnahan is represented by CAA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners. LaKeith Stanfield is represented by CAA, Stark Management, and Ginsburg Daniels Kallis. Ted Levine is represented by Kass Management. Danny Huston is represented by UTA, Untitled Entertainment, Myman Greenspan, and Julian Belfrage Associates. Matthew Jacobs is represented by Independent Talent Group. Rhys Coiro is represented by People Store and Paradigm Talent Agency. Stephen Dorff is represented by Atlas Artists. Bernard Rose is represented by John Burnham and Casarotto Ramsay & Associates. Barry Navidi is represented by attorney Bianca Goodloe at Goodloe Law.
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