Ralph Fiennes is Bomb.

Back in February it was announced that Ralph Fiennes would be making his directorial debut with a contemporary version of Shakespeare's "Coriolanus". It has been announced from the on-going American Film Market this week that Gerard Butler has been cast to star opposite Fiennes.

Butler will play Tullus Aufidius, the commander of the Volscian army. The cast already includes William Hurt, Eddie Marsan, Jessica Chastain and Vanessa Redgrave. Shooting will start this upcoming March in Serbia.

"Coriolanus" set in the early years of the Roman Republic, although it sounds like Fiennes has contemporized it instead. The story follows Roman military leader Caius Martius, who returns home from a war against the Volscans as a war hero with a new last name, Coriolanus, given for the city of Corioles which he conquered. However, after an attempt at political office turns sour, he is banished from Rome as a traitor. Hungry for revenge, Coriolanus becomes leader of the Volscan army and marches to the gates of Rome, but is stopped at the last minute.

So excited about this. WAY more excited about this than the Catherine Hardwick contemporary version of "Hamlet" with Emilie Hirsch. I mean, excited about that, but Ralph Fiennes > Emile Hirsch. Times a million.
-CE
Photo courtesy of First Showing.