Joel Edgerton Set To Star, Cowrite Netflix’s Henry V Adaptation ‘The King’
Joel Edgerton has been tapped to star in Netflix's upcoming biopic of Henry V. The Aussie actor will star opposite Timothée Chalamet in The King.
A Reunion Of Sorts
The drama, which is being produced by Brad Pitt's production company Plan B, will be directed by David Michod. Michod most recently helmed War Machine, in which Pitt starred as the protagonist.
Edgerton had previously been confirmed as a cowriter on the movie, alongside Michod. The two Australians have a long-established relationship, dating all the way back to Animal Kingdom.
The 2010 crime movie was Edgerton's big break as an actor, as well as Michod's as a director. The duo previously wrote together on 2014's The Rover, which was a showcase moment for star Robert Pattinson, post-Twilight fame.
Edgerton and Michod are co-producing the movie alongside Plan B and frequent collaborator Liz Watts, who produced both Animal Kingdom and The Rover.
The Boy King
The King is based on two of Shakespeare's plays, Henry IV and Henry V. Chalamet, currently on a major hot streak following take-notice turns in Lady Bird and Call Me By Your Name — for which he was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar — will portray the titular character.
Set in the 1300s, Henry is a young, disgraced prince who inherits the crown in his 20s and must quickly learn what it means to be king. He's guided in his quest by the only friend he can really trust, Falstaff (Edgerton). To complicate matters, England is also on the precipice of going to war with France.
Staying Busy
It's been a hectic year thus far for Edgerton, following his turn as an orc cop in Netflix's critically savaged but most-watched original production Bright, which set a record for the streaming service and has already been guaranteed a sequel.
The Aussie actor also starred in his brother, Nash Edgerton's, crime thriller Gringo, as well as opposite Jennifer Lawrence in Red Sparrow. Next up is his own latest directorial effort, following 2015 horror movie The Gift, Boy Erased, which is expected to make a big splash on the festival circuit.
Chalemet, meanwhile, is busy charming the pants off everyone in Hollywood, from Meryl Streep to Laura Dern to Cardi B. Playing Henry in The King seems like the natural next step for the crowned prince of Tinseltown.
No release date has been set as of yet, but filming is due to get underway in Europe in June.
