GREAT news coming from the Cannes Film Festival, which opened today!

The official press release from Trust Nordisk

TrustNordisk is very excited to announce that we have acquired the sales rights for the new Hamlet feature HAMLET REVENANT, directed by the experienced Ken McMullen who has more than 10 feature films and 30 documentaries behind him.

The film stars an all-star cast, including world renowned names such as Ian McKellen (THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY, 2001-2003; BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, 2017), Gabriel Byrne (THE USUAL SUSPECTS, 1995; LOUDER THAN BOMBS, 2015), and Connie Nielsen (GLADIATOR, 2000; NYMPHOMANIAC, 2013)…

The screenplay of ‘Hamlet Revenant’ tells the story of a character caught amidst treasonous political upheavals, family crisis, sexual tensions and ambiguous friendships: a vortex of revenge, doubt and madness out of which no main character escapes. In this original adaptation of Shakespeare’s most iconic work ‘Hamlet Revenant’ brings to the surface the violence and destructive instincts that haunt the human psyche. It is envisaged as an intense motion picture with a haunting and atmospheric visual aesthetic.

Gabriel Byrne, Connie Nielsen, and Sir Ian McKellen

The Hollywood Reporter notes the film is set to begin shooting in the second half of 2017 and “TrustNordisk has picked up international sales rights to Hamlet Revenant and is pitching the title to buyers in Cannes.”

So, there you have it! The characters of Hamlet and Ophelia have been cast, but we have no idea who the other actors might be playing.

Also, this sounds like Hamlet with a twist: an original adaptation. According to Screen International: “The screenplay by McMullen, adapted from Shakespeare’s most famous play, is set in present times…” There have been some very successful contemporary looks at Shakespeare, so this might be quite exciting. Will it use any of Shakespeare’s original text? Where will the story be set? Denmark? England? Someplace else? What will the setting be? A castle? Family estate? London office building?

And who will Gabriel play!?

Again, we have no idea.

Iconic roles: McKellen as Gandalf; Connie Nielsen as Lucilla; Gabriel Byrne as d’Artagnan

From Wikipedia:

A revenant is a visible ghost or animated corpse that is believed to have revived from death to haunt the living. The word revenant is derived from the Latin word reveniens, “returning” (see also the related French verb revenir, meaning “to come back”).

There is a very famous ghost in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, of course, but Hamlet Revenant? We must wait and see!

To all those Byrneholics who conjectured that Mr. Byrne might be drawn to The Bard soon: you were right! heart

3 Comments

  1. This is going to be amazing! Sir Ian McKellen AND Gabriel Byrne. Two great actors. Add a little Shakespeare. Et voilà ! Did they work together years ago in The Keep?

    Angelle

  2. Madelaine Snider Oneill

    I remember renting the tape 20 years ago of The Keep w GB, great movie.

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