Butler serves up Shakespeare

Gerard ‘difficult to get him attached to a movie these days; and yet his last couple of movies have been absolute stinkers’ Butler (“300”, “Gamer”) has agreed to star in Ralph Fiennes’ directorial debut, “Coriolanus”.

The flick, repped by Icon at this year’s AFM in Santa Monica, is a contemporary version of Shakespeare’s Rome-set political drama. Butler will play Tullus Aufidius, commander of the Volscian army from Shakespeare’s play. He joins a cast that includes William Hurt, Eddie Marsan, Jessica Chastain and Vanessa Redgrave. Fiennes will also have a role.

”Coriolanus” is a 1608 tragedy by William Shakespeare, based on the life of the legendary Roman leader, Gaius Martius Coriolanus.

The most famous Coriolanus in history is Laurence Olivier, who first played the part triumphantly at the Old Vic Theatre in 1937 and returned to it to even greater acclaim at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in 1959. In that production.

There’s more at The Hollywood Reporter