Great Gatsby screenwriter on Shakespeare

Craig Pearce Craig Pearce, screenwriter of Baz Luhrmann's big screen adaptation of The Great Gatsby is turning his hand to a TV series on a very British subject, William Shakespeare.

Called Will, the project follows the young Shakespeare from the age of 24 when he heads to London to make a name for himself as a playwright.

The bard is getting the full-on rock star treatment from the Australian writer (pictured), who has been developing the TV project for some years.

He told the Sydney Morning Herald back in 2013: "'Theatre back then was like rock and roll. It was a completely revolutionary form of popular entertainment. It was a very intense, visceral, exciting world... full of sex and violence."

Pearce is a regular collaborator of Luhrmann, having worked on elaborately designed films such as Moulin Rouge and Romeo + Juliet. It is likely he will produce an equally lavish interpretation with Will, as there is already a double Oscar-winning production designer on board.
 

Details listed so far on Production Intelligence include the designer, casting director, line producer and executive producers. Subscribers should follow the project as we will be sending email updates as filming draws nearer.
 


Currently commissioned as a pilot for TNT, the production starts filming in the UK in the spring; a production company has been set up specifically for this venture.

Non-subscribers can click here for a demo of Production Intelligence.
 

Production Intelligence

Craig Pearce pohto courtesy of Stephane L'hostis/Getty Images Ent.



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