It's not often that we learn plenty about a major upcoming big-screen project before it's even begun shooting, but that's the case with Grendel, a live-action retelling of the Old English epic Beowulf, adapted from John Gardner's 1971 novel of the same name by Robert D. Krzykowski (director of the wonderfully-named The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot ). The Hollywood Reporter shared an interview with the writer-director, and it contains a number of highlights, including talk about a cast which includes "Jeff Bridges as the titular monster, Bryan Cranston as King Hrothgar, Dave Bautista as the warrior Beowulf, and T Bone Burnett as the blind, harp-playing Shaper.
" Filming, if nothing changes, is set to start in Europe next year, and "Palisades Park Pictures is handling international sales" as it looks for distribution. With such an enticing cast and premise, chances are it'll be picked up sooner rather than later. Moreover, the legendary Jim Henson Company is working on the practical effects and creature designs, with the titular Grendel at the center (see the featured image above).
"[Jeff] talked a lot about the yin and the yang of every person and that Grendel, he’s really a character in conflict, and I think that he found that really interesting. [Grendel] ends up tipping into a place where he can’t quite save himself, and we all see that as an interesting warning when you’re dealing with a monster," teased Krzykowski about the main character and the vetera.