William Shakespeare's Macbeth returns to the big screen as a new, Michael Fassbender/Marion Cotillard-led adaptation plays this week at the Cannes Film Festival, but this is not the only new version of the Bard's play in the works. Kenneth Branaugh teased a new theatrical variation is to come from director Martin Scorsese, although now it it will be different than initially reported.
The last update on the project came from Branaugh himself back in March, when the actor/director said that, "all things being well," Scorsese would remount the production as a "very impressionistic" and "very abstract" film.
According to The Telegraph, though, this Macbeth revival is to be more a documentary than a straight adaptation, as it follows Branaugh and his actors throughout several weeks of performances of the play at the Second World War Leavesden Aerodome in Hertfordshire.
Scorsese was inspired to make the film when the Branaugh-led production in New York last year, after it had initially premiered at the Mancheter International Festival the year before. Although the actor is the only one from the original cast officially on board at the moment. Efforts are being made to bring everyone back, especially Alex Kingston (Doctor Who), who played the female led Lady Macbeth. Of course, scheduling may prevent some from returning. Although it's hard to turn down the opportunity to work with Scorsese.
As this documentary comes into fruition, both Scorsese and Branagh are busy with other projects. Having recently helmed Disney's Cinderella, Branagh just last month unveiled the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company, as BBC reported at the time, where he presents a five-show season at Garrick Theatre from October 2015 to November 2016. Set to join the company are Judi Dench and Cinderella leads Lily James and Richard Madden. The latter two's first production together is another Shakespeare adaptation, Romeo and Juliet, which Branagh directs.
Scorsese is hard at work on his next film Silence, starring Liam Neeson, Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver and expected to be released either at the end of this year or sometime in 2016. The filmmaker also recently helmed an untitled rock 'n' roll pilot for HBO, which comes from Boardwalk Empire creator and Wolf of Wall Street writer Terence Winter, and also a casino short film/commercial with Leonard DiCaprio and Robert De Niro.
He also has his name attached, or said to be involved, with a variety of films and shows, including a Mike Tyson biopic, a Boardwalk Empire film, the Benicio Del Toro-starring series Cortes and a show version of his 2010 film Shutter Island.
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