Love William Shakespeare’s plays but wish characters like Lady Macbeth, Ophelia, and Goneril and Regan were more fully developed? Margot Robbie seems to be on the same page — the Oscar-nominated actress in the midst of developing a more female-friendly take on the Bard’s famous works. The “I, Tonya” star and producer is working on a new 10-part series “retelling the work of Shakespeare from female perspectives,” Deadline reports.
Robbie’s company, LuckyChap Entertainment, is teaming up with Australian Broadcasting Company, production company Hoodlum, and ABC Studios International on the untitled project.
Set to begin filming in 2018, the series will “be led by a female creative team who will produce 10 standalone episodes, each based on a celebrated work of Shakespeare updated to comment on our modern, global society,” the source details. Every ep will be be written and directed by women. Giula Sandler (“Nowhere Boys”) is credited as series concept creator and will pen one of the episodes.
Many productions have seen Shakespeare’s male leads played by women. “As you get older, even the Shakespeare roles become [less substantial for older women] — that’s why we have to start stealing the men’s roles — doing like I did in ‘The Tempest,’ [by changing the role of Prospero to] Prospera,” Helen Mirren said in 2015. “And it’s great that a lot of women are doing Hamlet, doing Henry V, and I’m sure there will be a female Othello soon. And I love that. I think it’s absolutely great because, you know, why not?”
“We are thrilled about this Australian partnership as an opportunity to showcase unique, distinctly female voices in writing, and to demonstrate the high quality of the Australian film and television industry,” LuckyChap commented. “The project will share diverse points of view, from writers representing the different cultures and areas within Australia, which many would not readily associate with works of Shakespeare.”
Robbie can be seen in “I, Tonya,” a dark comedy about figure skater Tonya Harding in theaters now. A teaser just dropped for the “Suicide Squad” star’s next film, “Terminal,” a thriller about assassins set to bow May 11. Check it out below.
