Branagh Beckons In The Bard…

Our very own international thespian Kenneth Branagh has formed a film production company with the mind-watering goal of bringing to the screen the entire works of William Shakespeare. Faster than you can say "What fresh hell is this?" Branagh has agreed, in principle, to direct and producer the movies through his Shakespeare Film Company. According to Branagh, the deal is to "formalise our passionate commitment to producing Shakespeare on film" and will first run amok with a musical adaptation of Love Labour's Lost, set in the 1930s and laden with Cole Porter and Irving Berlin scores. Branagh will direct and star in the film, which is set for release next year. Other works in the pipeline include contemporary adaptations of Macbeth and As You Like It, but unlike his lavish remake of Hamlet (1997), which kept us trapped in our seats for a bum-numbing four hours, the new movies will all clock in under two hours. Previously, Branagh has achieved success with his direction on Henry V (1989) and Much Ado About Nothing (1993).