Former James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has revealed that her first post-007 feature film will be an adaptation of William Shakespeare's classic tragedy Othello.
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Deadline reports that Broccoli announced the news at Industry Days in Qatar, hosted by the Film Committee at Media City Qatar in partnership with the Doha Film Institute.
The film is reportedly being shot in the Gulf territory and has financial backing from within Qatar. Broccoli is producing the film alongside Nicky Bentham and actor David Oyelowo, who will also star as the titular character.
Oyelowo previously played the role of Othello in Broccoli's 2016 theatre production of the play, which reinvisioned the play as being set in US army barracks in Iraq.
In addition to Oyelowo, the film will also feature Superman actress Rachel Brosnahan in the role of Othello's wife Desdemona, with Brosnahan also returning from the theatre production.
(L-R) Michael G Wilson, Daniel Craig and Barbara Broccoli when No Time to Die was announced. Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures
Finally, Broccoli also confirmed that Wicked: For Good star Cynthia Erivo has been cast in the role of Emilia in the adaptation. In the play, Emilia is the maidservant of Desdemona and the wife of the story's antagonist, the scheming Iago.
The casting for one of Shakespeare's most iconic villains, Iago, has yet to be confirmed.
At the time, Broccoli said in a statement: "My life has been dedicated to maintaining and building upon the extraordinary legacy that was handed to Michael and me by our father, producer Cubby Broccoli.
"I have had the honour of working closely with four of the tremendously talented actors who have played 007 and thousands of wonderful artists within the industry.
"With the conclusion of No Time to Die and Michael retiring from the films, I feel it is time to focus on my other projects."
Producer Cubby Broccoli had been involved with the Bond film franchise since its inception.
Wicked: For Good is out now in cinemas, while no release date has been set for James Bond 26.
Lewis is the News and Trends Editor at Radio Times and leads our approach to news, reactive content, and serving audience demands and interests. An obsessive fan of television and film, Lewis is a Nicole Kidman fanatic with a side of passion for science-fiction, art-house cinema and the latest HBO drama. Lewis has a degree in Psychology and a Masters in Film Studies. After working in advertising, Lewis worked at The Mirror for three years in community management and SEO, showbiz, film and television reporting.
