King Lear is dead...Long live King Lear

A Hollywood adaptation of Shakespearean tragedy King Lear has been cancelled after reportedly falling victim to the current global economic crisis.

The film was due to star Sir Anthony Hopkins in the title role alongside Gwyneth Paltrow, Keira Knightly and Naomi Watts as the monarch's three daughters.

The $36 million (£25 million) production was announced at last year's Cannes Film Festival in France but has now been scrapped.

The decision was reportedly made after movie bosses found it difficult to secure the required investment.

A spokeswoman for Ruby Films, the production company behind the film, says, "Ruby are no longer doing it - the film will no longer go ahead. It has not really been announced."

The move now clears the way for a rival production from director Michael Radford, starring Al Pacino, which will still go ahead.

Who would you rather see as King Lear? Pacino or Hopkins?

Source: WENN

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Al Pacino is King Lear

Michael Radford is writing and directing a new adaptation of Shakespeare's King Lear and has set Al Pacino to play the lead role.

Radford and Pacino worked together on Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice in 2004, where Pacino played Shylock.

"Al has been offered this role many times over the years, but didn't feel ready," producer Barry Navidi told Variety. "He's ready now. The film will be true to its period, very similar to the classical look of Merchant of Venice. Michael came up with the most brilliant adaptation and Al and I flipped for it."

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