A new version of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, starring Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard, will be distributed by The Weinstein Company.
Deadline first reported that TWC was close to signing on. Fox Searchlight was reportedly also in the running.
The project is being directed by Justin Kurzel (Snowton), who is using original Shakespearean dialogue in the film, although he is looking to bring a new visual sense to the story. It centers on a Scottish general whose scheming wife pushes him to get the throne.
Macbeth has earned several film incarnations in the past, including a stunning effort by Orson Welles in 1948. Roman Polanski also directed a version in 1971 and Sam Worthington starred in a 2006 version.
Jacob Koskoff and Todd Louiso co-wrote the script and See-Saw Films’ Iain Canning and Emile Sherman are producing, reports TheWrap.
Interestingly, Fassbender recently told GQ that he’s not going to campaign for an Oscar nod for 12 Years A Slave. TWC’s Harvey Weinstein is a master at Oscar campaigning, so if Macbeth earns rave reviews and Fassbender pulls off a great performance, Weinstein may have to talk him into doing it for this project.
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