Al Pacino to Star in Film Version of King Lear

Al Pacino has signed on to play the title role in a feature film version of Shakespeare’s King Lear, according to Variety. The movie will feature a script adaptation and direction by Michael Radford, who collaborated with Pacino on a 2004 film version of The Merchant of Venice with the Oscar-winning actor as Shylock.

Pacino has never played the aging king, who doesn’t recognize the loyalty of his daughter Cordelia but puts his faith in her two scheming sisters. Christopher Plummer, Kevin Kline, Andre De Shields and Alvin Epstein have tackled the role—considered to be the pinnacle for an older actor—on New York stages in recent years. Previous film versions have starred Laurence Olivier, Orson Welles and Paul Scofield.

“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.” In addition to Merchant, Navidi produced Salomaybe?, an as-yet unreleased film in which Pacino deconstructs Oscar Wilde’s Salome.

King Lear will shoot entirely in Europe later in 2009; no other casting has been set.