The ambitions of a just-announced project to kick off production within a month’s time are high ones indeed, but the financed and scripted Cymbeline is making its march. Less than one week after the Hamlet team of writer-director Michael Almereyda and star Ethan Hawke were confirmed to be moving along, THR have informed us of the second casting addition: Ed Harris, who’s landed an eponymous role as William Shakespeare‘s own King Cymbeline.
In this new interpretation of The Bard’s text, 17th-century Europe has been traded in for 21st-century New York, the updated landscape bringing with it an “epic battle between dirty cops and a drug-dealing biker gang.” We can presume that all the family business which comprises much of this story, as-written, will survive, a notion supported by the filling of a familiar role at such an early stage. No matter what, we’re hopeful: after Almereyda‘s boundary-breaking spin on one of Shakespeare‘s more-heralded works, the altering of a less-discussed tale is of very high interest.
Benaroya Pictures and producer Anthony Katagas (12 Years a Slave, The Immigrant) are behind the production, which is expected to commence in two weeks’ time.
There’s a second casting note from THR, wherein it’s stated that Clint Eastwood‘s Jersey Boys has secured two more stars — neither of whom are expected to perform “Walk Like a Man.” Instead, the just-signed performers — Joey Russo and Jeremy Luke — are filling out supporting slots, and crucial-sounding ones at that: similar to the role occupied by Christopher Walken, they’ll portray fellows from back home who, possibly, have one or two bad senses of personal lifestyle.
Taking an integral role in the action, Russo‘s casting will see him play Joe “Joey” Pesci (different one), a Four Seasons founder, while Luke is taking the role of “Donnie, a loan shark who is trying to extort money from Frankie Valli.” The leading musicians of Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice‘s screenplay have yet to be signed, though THR claim that talks are underway — and with Eastwood set to roll a few Warner Bros. cameras by the end of next month, we should anticipate the news to hit soon.
Is Cymbeline coming together in an intriguing manner? Is interest in Jersey Boys accelerating?