Ever since Kenneth Branagh directed Thor, one of last year’s hit superhero films, he’s had several opportunities open up for him. However, upon turning down the chance to direct the sequel, he has opted instead to fill his slate with a multitude of other projects.
The ones that have already been spoken of include a romantic drama that will star Anthony Hopkins and Judi Dench, the untitled Jack Ryan film, and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which will star Kate Winslet. Now he has announced yet another project, a drama involving The Troubles, “a decades-long political conflict that spread across Northern Ireland,” where Branagh was born.
Here’s what he had to say about the project:
What’s always appealed to me was to tell a story about my own experience: a generational thing about my time in Belfast, a particular slice of dockside, working-class, Protestant life. I have an almost photographic recall of seeing Bernadette Devlin [the republican activist and MP] on television in the riots, and what all of that was doing to our family and all of those around us.
I’ve been a fan of Branagh for a long time. Having enjoyed his great Shakespeare adaptations like Hamlet, Henry V, and As You Like It, I found that he made the transition to action really well with Thor, so whatever he ends up doing next will have my immediate attention. With his background in Shakespearean films, it seems like a political period piece would be a good fit as he’s already shown that he has a great attention to detail.
However, the question becomes: will he have time for all of these projects? I suppose it all comes down to the schedule. If he’s able to get them all in, he’s looking at being busy for quite awhile. I’m glad he’s getting these opportunities, but I do hope that he finds time to return to his roots again to deliver another film based on the bard’s plays sometime in the future. Until then, we have a lot more to look forward to from him.
Which of these projects are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments!
(Source: The Film Stage)
