A new movie adaptation of Macbeth is happening with Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand. To make it all the more appealing, Joel Coen, one half of the Coen brothers, is set to write and direct the new adaptation of the William Shakespeare classic. This tale has been brought to the screen many times before and, in many cases, any further takes on the material may seem excessive. But with a creative team like this in place, it's hard to argue against.
According to a new report, both Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand are in talks to star in Macbeth. Currently, they roles they would play, should the deals close, have not been revealed. Though, one would imagine Washington would play the title role, whereas McDormand would likely play Lady Macbeth. Scott Rudin is on board as a producer and indie studio A24 has stepped in to shepherd the project, with plans to distribute it worldwide. It's important to reiterate that both stars are just in talks right now and that the deals have not closed.
Joel Coen almost always works as a duo with his brother Ethan Coen, dating back to their first feature, Blood Simple. So one might wonder why Joel is seemingly flying solo for this one. In certain cases, Ethan has co-directed movies, like Blood Simple and O Brother, Where Art Thou? with his brother without being officially credited. So it's possible that's what will ultimately happen here. Or it's possible that Joel could be flying solo for real this time. Either way, his resume speaks for itself. The Coen brothers have been nominated for a host of Oscars over the years, earning wins for Fargo and No Country for Old Men. The Coens most recently directed The Ballad of Buster Scruggs for Netflix.
Related: First Look at Macbeth with Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard
Macbeth, in its simplest terms, centers on a Scottish Lord who receives a prophecy from a trio of witches who predict that he will become king. His power hungry wife then urges him to seize the opportunity and take the throne. So, he murders King Duncan in his sleep and frames the guards for the crime. A bloody chain of events follows. The play has been adapted a number of times for the big screen, starting with Orson Welles' 1948 movie. Most recently, Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard fronted a version from director Justin Kurzel in 2015, which was met with a generally positive response.
Frances McDormand has been busy since appearing in 2017's Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, which earned the actress her second Oscar, with her first coming for her work on Coen's Fargo. Denzel Washington most recently starred in The Equalizer 2, but he's no stranger to the Academy Awards either. He has two Oscars for his work in Glory and Training Day. There's no word currently on how soon production is expected to begin, nor has a release date been set. This news was first reported by Deadline.
