Apple Picks Up Joel Coen’s ‘The Tragedy Of Macbeth’ Starring Frances McDormand And Denzel Washington
By Hoai-Tran Bui/May 12, 2021 11:00 am EST
Apple Original Films and A24 are partnering up to release Joel Coen’s The Tragedy of Macbeth, which will be released in theaters worldwide ahead of a global launch on Apple TV+.
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a black-and-white adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Scottish play starring Washington as the ambitious Macbeth and McDormand as his power-hungry wife Lady Macbeth. The names behind the movie have already set The Tragedy of Macbeth up to be a major awards contender. It’s directed by Joel Coen, striking out on his own for the first time. It stars Oscar winner Washington and McDormand, fresh off her memorable Oscar win for Nomadland. The film will be shot in black-and-white, courtesy of cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel. And though it’s one of many in a long line of Macbeth adaptations, it looks to be a new and exciting take, with McDormand hinting that her and Washington’s ages will factor into the adaptation.
“I think a very important thing about Joel’s adaptation is that we are not calling it Macbeth,” McDormand said in a previous interview. “We’re calling it The Tragedy of Macbeth, which I think is an important distinction. In Joel’s adaptation, we are exploring the age of the characters and in our adaptation, the Macbeths are older. Both Denzel and I are older than what is often cast as the Macbeths. We’re postmenopausal, we’re past childbearing age. So that puts a pressure on their ambition to have the crown. I think the most important distinction is that it is their last chance for glory.”
Also starring in The Tragedy of Macbeth are Bertie Carvel, Alex Hassell, Corey Hawkins, Kathryn Hunter, Harry Melling and Brendan Gleeson. Frequent Coen collaborators are also on board including Mary Zophres as costume designer, and Carter Burwell composing the score. In addition to directing, Coen produces the film alongside McDormand and Robert Graf.
