Grendel, the legendary monster at the heart of the epic poem Beowulf by John Gardner, will get its own live-action movie: this new version tells the story of the classic, but this time from the monster’s point of view. Jeff Bridges, Dave Bautista and Bryan Cranston will join the cast of the film, which is simply called Grendel.
Jeff Bridges He will lend his voice to the titular monster, while Dave Bautista He will play Beowulf himself. Bryan Cranston will play the role of King Hrothgar. Facing them, Sam Elliot lends his voice to the dragon, Beowulf’s third and final adversary. Thomasin McKenzie will be Queen Weltheow, and Aidan Turner will play Uffert. T Bone Burnett will also be there as the Shaper and will also write some original songs for the film.
At the head of the project we find Robert D. Krzykowski (The Man Who Killed Hitler and then Bigfoot), who will make the film from a screenplay he adapted from the poem of the same name. The feature film is expected to begin production in Europe later this year. Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, the company founded by puppeteer Jim Henson, creator of The Muppet Show, will design the creatures.
“Grendel represents everything I love about cinema. John Gardner’s deranged masterpiece cleverly examines what it means to be human through the maddened eyes of a monster.“- said in the director’s press release. “I am honored to work with such a wonderful group of storytellers who will bring something wonderful and unexpected to the audience today.“
“We are excited to bring this high-profile news to our distributors around the worldTamara Birkemo, CEO of Palisades Park Pictures, which is producing the feature film, added. “With this brilliant cast, Bobby’s clear vision, and the extraordinary creative journey of our friends at The Jim Henson Company, we can’t wait to bring Grendel to life.“
Grendel (Crispin Glover) in “The Legend of Beowulf” (2007)
Brian Henson, producer and chairman of the board of The Jim Henson Company, said:The Jim Henson Company is internationally known for its character creation. And we’re most inspired when a character has an abundantly authentic personality and can be subtle, thought-provoking, and believable. Grendel is the ultimate character and will be brought to life using the latest hands-on techniques from our Creature Shop, along with the incredible digital effects of Dennis Berard.“
It has been adapted at least 7 times
A legendary poem John Gardner It has already inspired no fewer than six films: among the most famous are Robert Zemeckis’s Legend of Beowulf (2007) with Ray Winstone, Crispin Glover (Grendel) and Angelina Jolie, Beowulf (1999) with Graham Baker’s Christopher Lambert. The 13th Warrior (1999) John McTiernan and Michael Crichton with Antonio Bandera. There’s also Beowulf, Legend of the Vikings (2005) with Hringur Ingvarsson, Spencer Wilding and Stellan Skarsgård or Outlander, The Last Viking (2008) with Howard McCain’s Jim Caviezel, Sophia Miles, Jack Huston, John Hurt and Ron Perlman.
Adaptations also include Nick Lyon’s television film Beowulf and the Wrath of the Gods (2007) and the British series Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands, born in 2016 for ITV, which lasted only one season.
While you wait to discover this new version, The 13th Warrior, which is the best adaptation of the legend according to AlloCiné viewers, who rated it 3.1 out of 5, can still be seen streaming on Disney+.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
