Kenneth Branagh has spent much of his career bringing to life the works of British writers William Shakespeare and Agatha Christie. Now he will now get a chance to play a different famed scribe. Branagh will voice star as Charles Dickens in The King of Kings, a faith-based feature inspired by the lives of both Dickens and Jesus Christ.
Uma Thurman will voice star as Catherine Dickens, the wife of the author, while Jojo Rabbit‘s Roman Griffin Davis will voice the couple’s youngest son, Walter.
The King of Kings is inspired by “The Life of Our Lord,” a Dickens short story published in 1934, decades after his death. It follows Dickens and Walter as they — and their cat Willa — become immersed in the story of Jesus.
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“It is through the Dickens family that our audience experiences the life of Jesus Christ, and Kenneth Branagh, Uma Thurman and Roman Griffin Davis bring all the emotion, awe, heart and gravitas to these essential characters,” said producer Anfernee Kim in a statement. “These three actors are at the core of our story, and anchor a truly impressive cast – many of whom we look forward to sharing in the near future.”
South Korean animation house Mofac Animation is behind the project, which hails from from Spartacus director Seong-ho “Jay” Jang. Jang co-wrote the script with Rob Edwards, known for Disney’s The Princess and the Frog. Jamie Thomason and Andrew Mann are executive producers on the project, which is in production and is seeking distribution.
Branagh rose to prominence as an actor-director with Henry V, his 1989 adaptation of the Shakespeare play earning him Oscar nominations for acting and directing. After eight nominations, he won his first Oscar for penning Belfast (2022). As a director, he was last in theaters with the Christie adaptation A Haunting in Venice.
Thurman earned an Oscar nomination for Pulp Fiction (1994) and earned acclaim for reteaming with filmmaker Quentin Tarantino for a pair of Kill Bill films, released in 2003 and 2004. She has Paul Schrader’s Oh, Canada debuting at Cannes next month, and has also filmed a role in Netflix’s The Old Guard 2.
Davis debuted in Jojo Rabbit at the age of 11, with the role earning him a Golden Globe nomination and a Critics Choice Award. His upcoming credits include the Bill Nighy starrer 500 Miles and Nick Frost’s 152 Days.
Branagh is repped by WME, Berwick & Kovacik and Gochman Law Group. Thurman is represented by CAA, Untitled Entertainment, Wolf Kasteler Public Relations, Jonathan Sanders & Co, and Hansen Jacobson. Davis is repped by Independent Talent Group and Untitled Entertainment.