Anne Hathaway will star in a film version of 'Taming of the Shrew'
Actress Anne Hathaway, currently the subject of Oscar buzz for her role as struggling mother Fantine in the film adaptation of “Les Misérables,” will now star in a movie adaptation of the Shakespeare comedy “The Taming of the Shrew,” according to TheWrap.com.
Hathaway already has some Shakespeare under her belt – she appeared as Viola in the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park’s performance of “Twelfth Night” in New York's Central Park in 2009. In “The Taming of the Shrew,” Hathaway will presumably play Katherine, the rebellious daughter who is married off to a man who is sure he can make her a "biddable" wife.
Abi Morgan, who penned the script for “Iron Lady,” will write the screenplay, and the movie will be produced by Working Title and producer Debra Hayward. “The Taming of the Shrew” will be updated to a modern setting for the film (as in the 1999 romantic comedy “10 Things I Hate About You,” which starred Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger).
There is no set release date for the film.
It will be interesting to see how the adaptation is handled. “The Taming of the Shrew” has long been controversial in modern theater circles for what some view as its themes of spousal abuse and misogyny. In order to break Katherine’s spirit, her new husband Petruchio denies her food. The play ends with a speech by Katherine in which she declares her intent to be an obedient wife from then on and suggests that all wives should do the same.
