First announced way back in early 2009, Al Pacino and director Michael Radford’s take on “King Lear” now has financing and will shoot in the U.K. next spring.
The duo previously teamed for 2004’s “The Merchant Of Venice” and the project will also find that film’s director of photography Benoit Delhomme and costume designer Sammie Sheldon on board here. Also back is producer Barry Navidi, who is working on an adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s “Wild Salome” starring and directed by Pacino that’s currently in post-production.
We’re not sure if anyone is really clamoring for another stuffy Shakespeare adapation. If it was directed by Julie Taymor, we’d definitely be more interested, but another dry, period accurate adaptation of this bores us to tears. Pacino is intrigued because he’s never played King Lear before, and at least it will keep him from doing something stupid like “Righteous Kill 2,” but we’re not particularly excited by this one.