According to THR, Robert Eggers is setting up his next project, and it’s not what I expected. The outlet reports that the director behind The Witch, The Lighthouse, The Northman, Nosferatu, and Werwulf will direct an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. I can’t say I saw that coming.
Romeo and Juliet… from the Mind of Robert Eggers
Focus Features has won a bidding war for Romeo and Juliet, with A24, Sony, and Warner Bros. as the other interested parties. Eggers will direct and produce the project.
The tragic romance follows the ill-fated story of young lovers from two warring families, the Capulets and the Montagues, in Verona, Italy.
As you might expect, THR says Eggers’ adaptation will feature actors speaking in Olde English. As for dollar bills, the budget is said to be in the “high-seventy millions,” including filmmaker and talent fees as well as the film’s budget.
There have been many adaptations of Romeo and Juliet over the decades, including Franco Zeffirelli’s version starring Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting, and Baz Lurhman’s modern take, Romeo + Juliet, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. I’m curious to see how Eggers will approach the material.
Werwulf and Beyond
But before that timeless tale of love, next up for Eggers will be Werwulf. Set in 14th-century England, the story is about a town haunted by a ravenous beast that threatens the safety of a man and his family. Aaron Taylor-Johnson stars alongside Lily-Rose Depp, Willem Dafoe, Ralph Ineson, and more.
Eggers has called it “the darkest thing I’ve ever written, by far.” The film will be released on December 25.
Romeo and Juliet isn’t the only project Eggers has on his slate that feels surprising, as he’s also set to write and direct a new adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol for Warner Bros. He’s reportedly been eyeing Willem Dafoe to play Ebenezer Scrooge —now that’s some inspired casting.
What do you think of Robert Eggers tackling Romeo and Juliet as his next movie?
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