Cymbeline (film)

Synopsis

Based on the play Cymbeline by William Shakespeare, the story revolves around a war between dirty cops and a biker gang, and a drug kingpin who is driven to desperate measures.

Cast

Production

On July 31, 2013, it was announced that Ethan Hawke was re-teaming with director Michael Almereyda to star in the adaptation of Cymbeline. He would play Iachimo and production was set to start on August 19 in New York City. Anthony Katagas and Michael Benaroya would be the producers of the film. On August 5, it was announced that Ed Harris had signed to star opposite Hawke. He would play the role of King Cymbeline. Penn Badgley joined the cast in the adaptation of Cymbeline to play the role of orphan Posthumus who secretly marries the daughter of King Cymbeline and is banished by the monarch who raised Posthumus as a son.

On August 8, 2013, Milla Jovovich also joined the cast as a female lead; she would play the role of Queen who schemes to move her own son from a previous marriage onto the throne at the expense of the orphan Posthumus and the King’s daughter. More cast added on 12 August included Anton Yelchin and Dakota Johnson, Yelchin would play Cloten, the son of the Queen by a former husband and Johnson would be playing the role of Imogen, the daughter of King Cymbeline from a previous marriage.

Release

Prior to the world premiere of the film, it was announced Lionsgate had acquired all distribution rights to the film. The film had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival in Italy on September 3, 2014. The film then went to screen at the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea on October 3, 2014. For a short time, the film's U.S. title was Anarchy, but it was changed back to Cymbeline. The film was released in a limited release and through video on demand on March 13, 2015.