Aeon Productions, led by former James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli, and Qatar’s newly formed Film Commission are co-producing an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Othello, directed by and starring David Oyelowo and starring Rachel Brosnahan and Cynthia Erivo.
The film will be Broccoli’s first project since selling the Bond rights to Amazon MGM and will be shot in Qatar’s capital Doha. This is an adaptation of the theatrical production of Othello, directed by Sam Gold and first performed at New York Theater Workshop in 2016.
“I have wanted to produce a film version of Othello ever since I performed it in New York in 2016,” Broccoli said in a statement.
Oyelowo will direct and reprise his role as Othello, Brosnahan will reprise his role as Desdemona, and Erivo will play Emilia. Director Broccoli added, “We are grateful to the Film Commission for their support and look forward to filming in Qatar in the fall of 2026.”
Oyelowo commented: “Our film version of Othello is poignantly contemporary and fearless.”
Ambitious. It takes fearless actors to make it authentic. ”
“Cynthia is not only a generational talent, but also a dear friend with whom I have always wanted to collaborate. Rachel has been a dream to play opposite in our original stage productions and has been an inspirational pillar as we build this new interpretation of this legendary story,” he added.
The script for “Othello” reimagines the classic text in a modern, war-torn central desert setting.
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“When Iago is talking about the battle, as opposed to when we’re watching the battle, you don’t see the camaraderie and the denigrated camaraderie, and that’s the beauty of the film,” Oyelowo said during a panel discussion in Doha.
“That’s part of what we can do,” Broccoli said, adding: “Doha will be on the screen.”
Oyelowo went on to describe the “Othello” project, set in Qatar and Doha, as “the most extraordinary combination of ancient and modern.”
The film’s producers are Broccoli and Nicky Bentham of Aeon Productions and Oyelowo of Yoruba Saxon.
The Qatar Film Board is part of the Media City Qatar Hub, a new public institution tasked with driving the growth of the country’s entertainment industry.
The high-profile “Othello” project follows a flurry of agreements with Hollywood studios announced by Qatari lawyer Hassan Al Thawadi, chairman of the Qatar Film Commission and overseer of the 2022 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament, at the first Doha Film Festival’s Industry Days. This follows similar deals announced on Friday with US studios Neon, Miramax and Sony.
The production of “Othello” will take advantage of Qatar’s new Film Production Incentive, which provides cash rebates of up to 50% on eligible Qatari production expenditures.
