Clive Owen Will Headline Broadway Revival of David Henry Hwang's M. Butterfly, Directed by Julie Taymor

Screen star Clive Owen will return to Broadway this fall in a revival of David Henry Hwang’s Tony-winning M. Butterfly. As previously speculated, Julie Taymor will direct the revival. The new production will open officially on October 26, with a preview start date and theater to be announced later.

Owen, an Oscar nominee and Golden Globe winner for Closer, made his Broadway debut in the 2015 revival of Old Times. His additional credits include The Knick, The Bourne Identity, Hemingway & Gellhorn, Blood Ties and Intruders on screen and Romeo & Juliet and Design for Living on stage.

Inspired by Puccini’s opera Madame Butterfly, M. Butterfly follows the relationship between Rene Gallimard (Owen), a French diplomat living in China, and Song Liling, a soprano at the Beijing Opera. Their affair lasts for over 20 years until Song’s identity as a man—and a spy—is revealed. The 1988 Broadway production earned B.D. Wong a Tony Award, as well as a nomination for John Lithgow.

"M. Butterfly is like a Chinese puzzle, with layer upon layer of meaning; the more deeply you explore it, the more its essence is revealed,” Taymor said in a statement. “To have this complex character brought to life by Clive Owen, an actor I’ve wanted to work with for many years, is an extraordinary opportunity.”

A theater, creative team and additional casting, including the role of Song Liling, will be announced at a later date.