Come Like Shadows

Last Update: 05 March 2007

 
Most recent info is at the bottom of this page.
 
A mysterious entry appeared on the IMDB in Fall 2005, announcing that
Sean would appear in a filmed version of the play Macbeth, written and
directed by Vincent Regan.
 
The title of the film was announced as Dunsinane.
 
Vincent Regan has had a Macbeth film in development for a number of
years. An entry in AICN for 20 March 2000 reported the following:
 
"Shakespeare's "Scottish Play" has attracted some of the world's
greatest film-makers. Directors as diverse as Kurosawa, Welles, and
Polanski have tackled Macbeth with varying degrees of success. Now
the play is once again the subject of cinematic adaptation, with not
one but three projects in development. Apart from Kenneth Branagh's
much talked about Wall Street set production (which I think will feel
pretty routine after Almereyda's Hamlet is released), Luc Besson is
producing a more traditional version. First time director Vincent Regan
will helm MACBETH, which is scheduled to shoot in Scotland and the
French region of Brittany. The multinational cast includes Phil McKee
(Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc) as Macbeth, Emmanuelle Béart
(Manon Des Sources) as Lady Macbeth, Peter Mullan (My Name is Joe)
as Macduff and Fred Ward (The Player) as Duncan."
 
Actor, director and screenwriter Regan has directed stage versions of
Macbeth, and has also acted in stage and screen versions, the most recent
being a BBC production (2005) in which he plays Duncan Donahue to James
McAvoy's Joe Macbeth.
 
The previous title of Dunsinane appears to have been Miss June, and it, too,
has been in development for several years.
 
In 2003, Courtney Love announced she would appear in Miss June as Lady
Macbeth. Newspaper reports also stated she would take over the role of Lady
Macbeth opposite Sean onstage in London. Both stories proved to be untrue.
You can read about the Courtney Love sidebar here.
 
When contacted in September 2005, a spokesman for Sean confirmed that
Sean was aware of the Dunsinane project, but he was not attached to it.
 
 
Update: 13 Oct 2005.
During interviews at the premiere of the movie North Country, Sean
indicated that he was involved in the development of a filmed version
of Macbeth. He mentioned he was aware that there were several scripts
for a screen version of Macbeth floating around, and that his was being
put together by "a couple of friends".
 
A new interview surfaced in the week ending October 14, 2005 in which
Sean mentioned two actors - Brian Cox and Peter O'Toole - who were
also involved in the proposed Macbeth film, and he added that the
project was looking for a director.
 
In a second interview, Sean gave more clues, and included the names
Nick Saunders and Ioan Grufford. Intriguingly, he added that Vince Regan
had written this particular adaptation, and said that they'll be ready to roll
"soon".
 
 
Update: 19 January 2006
As of January 2006, there was nothing new to report, and Dunsinane is still
listed in the IMDB as being in "Pre-Production", with no actors attached.
 
 
Update: 28 June 2006
A number of stories appeared online announcing that a new Vincent Regan/Macbeth
project was in the works, this time called Come Like Shadows. The film is now
scheduled to begin production in the fall of 2006.
 
At the same time, the film's entry in the IMDb changed from Dunsinane to
Come Like Shadows.
 
You can read the press stories here.
 
 
Update 16 February 2007
A recent update to Come Like Shadows entry in IMDB changed its status to
"In Production". However, according to both Variety and the Hollywood Reporter,
this project is still in development.
 
Variety (15 Feb 2007) reports: "John Hart...also unveiled his next venture,
a more scaled-down film and theater outfit called Evamere. Jeffrey Sharp
is also understood to be forming a production company... Describing
Evamere as director-friendly, Hart said ... the company is also developing ...
"Macbeth" adaptation "Come Like Shadows," by Nick Saunders and Jennifer
Lee Carrell.
 
Hollywood Reporter (14 Feb 2007) reports: "After a decade as a top indie
film production and video distribution outfit, Hart Sharp Entertainment
founders John Hart and Jeffrey Sharp are heading their separate ways.
Hart is forming the new film and theater production company Evamere...
Also set for 2008 is "Come Like Shadows," a surreal period adaptation of
"Macbeth," with John Maybury in negotiations to direct."
 
A Status Update on the IMDB listing for this project dated 24 January 2007
indicates its status as "Unknown".
 
 
Update 17 February 2007
The project, updated 15 February 2007, is now listed as being
"In pre-production, with hopes for an '08 release."
 
 
Update 05 March 2007
In an interview with Rotten Tomatoes, Sean was asked about "Come Like Shadows".
This was his response:
 
RT-UK: In terms of next steps for you, I understand you're about to play Macbeth...
 
SB: This is something that's been talked about for a while now. I think they're
still trying to get it together. Friends of mine called Nick Saunders and Vincent
Regan - who's an actor who was in Troy with me - they put the thing together.
It's a great script but it's just about getting the financing for it, like anything
else. Tilda Swinton wanted to play Lady Macbeth which I was very excited about
having worked with her on Caravaggio many years ago. Everything's set up for
it but it's still in the producer's hands right now. It's something I'd very much
like to be involved with but it's difficult to get these things off the ground. If
you're given a chance you can show just how exciting Shakespeare can be and
certainly, in this case, how dark it can be. Trying to convince people to finance
a film that's dark, gritty and independent; that's the challenge. It's quite
a hard sell.
 
Stay tuned for further updates as they happen.

 

x

Return to Rumours Main Page

Return to The Compleat Sean Bean Main Page