Lately, Ralph Fiennes has been enjoying a pleasant mix of blockbusters (The King's Man) and more experimental projects like his recent success with dark comedy The Menu. But at his core is still a actor wishing to dabble in dramatic classics. This is why he's set to be reteaming for the first time with his English Patient co-star Juliette Binoche for a new take on the classic Homer tale, The Odyssey.
Titled The Return, the film will see Oscar-nominated Italian director Uberto Pasolini (producer of 1997's The Full Monty and director of 2013's Still Life) not only guiding Fiennes in the role of Odysseus and Boniche as his beloved wife Penelope, but will also see Charlie Plummer in the role of their son, Telemachus. Fiennes and Binoche had been confirmed for the film last year, but was made official this year after Bleecker Street recently picked up the North American rights to the film. Last year, Pasolini had this to say on the project and the co-stars:
"I feel enormously fortunate to be able to bring Homer's world alive through the great talent of Juliette and Ralph, whose powerful screen presence is matched by the fearlessness they bring to their work."
For those somehow not familiar with The Odyssey or are fuzzy on the story, here is the synopsis released for the new film:
After 20 years away Odysseus washes up on the shores of Ithaca, haggard and unrecognizable. The King has finally returned home but much has changed in his kingdom since he left to fight in the Trojan war. His beloved wife Penelope is now a prisoner in her own home, hounded by her many ambitious suitors to choose a new husband, a new king.
Their son Telemachus, who has grown up fatherless, is facing death at the hands of the suitors who see him as an obstacle in their relentless pursuit of Penelope and the kingdom. Odysseus has changed too. Scarred by his experience of war, he is no longer the mighty warrior his people remember. But he is forced to face his past in order to rediscover the strength needed to save his family and win back the love he has lost.
The Return will begin production in Greece this spring with shoots in the regions of Corfu and the Peloponnese, before moving to Italy. It is written by Pasolini, Edward Bond, and John Collee. Pasolini is also serving as a producer alongside James Clayton for Red Wave Films, Roberto Sessa for Picomedia (Asacha Media Group) with Rai Cinema, Giorgos Karnavas and Konstantinos Kontovravkis for Heretic, and Stéphane Moatti, Romain Le Grand, Vivien Aslanian and Marco Pacchioni for Kabo Films (Asacha Media Group) and Marvelous Production. Andrew Karpen and Kent Sanderson are serving as executive producers for Bleecker Street. Stay tuned!