Check out the new featurette for Julie Taymor‘s upcoming film The Tempest below.
Taymor, who last tackled Shakespeare with the cannibalism-fuelled Titus, first staged The Tempest in the 1980s on stage with her now trademark blend of puppetry and drama. The gender-switching film version is much bigger in scope and finds Hellen Mirren playing Prospera, a woman looking to exact revenge after she's been unfairly usurped and exiled by her dead hubbie's brother so he can steal her kingdom.
Synopsis: The film tells the tale of the Duchess Proaperas' banishment to a “primitive” Island with her young daughter where she is forced to master the elements of nature and magic. Prospera plots to return her Daughter to her rightful place and wreak revenge on those responsible for her downfall. When the opportunity arises she calls forth a powerful storm (Tempest) to bring her betraying brother and all the key players in her usurping to the Island where she will have a decidedly “home court” advantage.
The Tempest co-stars Russell Brand (Trinculo), Alfred Molina (Stephano), Djimon Hounsou (Caliban), Alan Cumming (Sebastian), Chris Cooper (Antonio), Ben Whishaw (Ariel) and David Strathairn (Alonso). The film is directed by Julie Taymor (Titus, Frida, Across the Universe)
The Tempest arrives in the US on December 10, 2010.
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