Jeff Bridges will be playing a classic monster, and he's bringing a couple of other big stars with him.
Bridges, Dave Bautista, and Bryan Cranston will all star in Grendel, the various Hollywood trades announced today, with Robert D. Krzykowski on board to direct. The live-action film, adapted from John Gardner’s 1971 novel of the same name, hails from The Jim Henson Company, and its Creature Shop will be handling the practical effects.
Bridges will be playing Grendel, while Bautista is set to play Beowolf and Cranston will play King Hrothgar. They join Sam Elliott as The Dragon, Thomasin McKenzie as Queen Wealhtheow, Aidan Turner as Unferth, and T Bone Burnett, who will also provide original songs for the movie, as the Shaper.
If you're not familiar with the original, Grendel the novel is a retelling of the epic English poem Beowolf. That poem told the story of legendary hero Beowolf, who came to aid King Hrothgar as his mead hall was at the mercy of 12 years of attacks from the monster Grendel. Gardner's acclaimed novel, however, gave Grendel's perspective, painting him more as an antihero that the original poem. The film, in turn, is being billed as the "tale of the legendary monster at the heart of the Beowulf epic poem who steps forth to tell his side of this riveting story.”
Bridges will likely spend the movie deep in those Jim Henson Creature Shop prothestics, given Grendel's monstrous appearance. It's quite the heroic role, meanwhile, for Bautista, whose film profile has risen over the past few years with movies like the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, Dune, Knock at the Cabin, and Army of the Dead.
“Grendel represents everything I love about the movies. John Gardner’s mad masterpiece cleverly tackles what it is to be human through the wild-eyed lens of a monster,” said Krzykowski in a statement. “It’s an honor to work with such a remarkable group of storytellers, all of whom seek to bring something wonderful and unexpected to audiences now.”
Grendel does not yet have a release date, but it'll go out to buyers at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.
Thumbnail credit: Getty Images
Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.
