Ahead of its premiere on BBC Two this coming Monday, a new trailer has arrived online for director Robert Eyre’s modern re-imagining of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. The adaptation stars Anthony Hopkins in the title role alongside Emma Thompson, Emily Watson, Florence Pugh, Jim Broadbent, John Macmillan, and Andrew Scott; watch it here…
The 80-year-old King Lear divides his kingdom among his daughters, Goneril, Regan and Cordelia, according to their affection for him. Cordelia refuses to flatter him, so he banishes her. Having acquired power, Goneril and Regan expel their father from their homes. At the same time, Lear’s prime minister, Gloucester, is betrayed by his son Edmund and his other son, Edgar, is forced to go into hiding. Lear becomes mad, Gloucester is blinded: both the kingdom and the family collapse into chaos and warfare. Lear and Cordelia are reunited – for a brief moment love reigns, then tragedy descends.
King Lear premieres on BBC Two on May 28th.