Al Pacino will star as King Lear in a new film adaptation of Shakespeare’s play, it has been confirmed.
According to the Guardian, the Oscar-winning actor will be directed by Michael Radford – who worked with Pacino in 2004’s The Merchant of Venice where the actor played Shylock – in the story of a once-great monarch who descends into madness.
Pacino made his name as a Hollywood star in films such as The Godfather and Scarface.
King Lear is considered one of the world’s most coveted roles, performed by greats including Laurence Olivier, Orson Welles and Sir Ian McKellen.