Pacino to Play a Very Loud, Very Tan King Lear

The way I see it, there are two ways Al Pacino playing King Lear can go down. It will either be a tremendous surprise, with Pacino showing the kind of depth he hasn't displayed in a decade or two, tinged with the subtlety that only experience can bring, or it will be absolutely embarrassing. Variety reports that Pacino will play one of Shakespeare's great characters in a new adaptation directed by Michael Radford. The pair previously worked together on 2004's The Merhcant of Venice. Pacino is not just a big movie star; he's played many roles on stage (I saw him mangle Salome on Broadway in 2003), and he has had extensive work in Shakespeare. But I have trouble picturing him as King Lear. The film will be shot in Europe later this year, and producer Barry Navidi says that this is finally the right time for Pacino to tackle Lear. "Al has been offered this role many times over the years, but didn't feel ready. He's ready now." There is presently another King Lear in the works, and both of these may have been spawned by the West End production and recent BBC adaptation of the play featuring Sir Ian McKellen. The other film version features a cast that includes Anthony Hopkins, Keira Knightley, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Naomi Watts. So, that'll be tough to compete with.