Strangely enough, the story of King Henry VIII and the many wives he either killed or exiled plays a major role in Kristen Stewart’s Prince Di drama, Spencer. But it won’t be the last starry project to feature the mad King of England. Deadline reports Michelle Williams and Jude Law will star in Firebrand, but this version of palace intrigue will be for the genre fans.
Firebrand is described as a psychological horror, with Williams set to play Catherine Parr, the sixth and final wife of King Henry VIII (Law), and the only one of his wives to escape execution or banishment. Catherine was a Protestant, who married into the pro-Catholic royalty at a time when Protestants were being executed at increasing numbers. Her mission was to try and convert Henry, a dangerous gambit given the brutality shown to his previous wives, two of which were beheaded, two banished, and another who died in childbirth. Their crimes? Failing to bear Henry a son, although he usually found a way to accuse them of adultery…which he himself was committing, of course.
The time period and Henry’s grotesque actions is perfect for the horror genre, and with a cast of Williams and Law this should be a movie to keep a close eye on. Behind the camera is Brazilian director Karim Aïnouz (The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão), from a script by Killing Eve writers Jessica Ashworth and Henrietta Ashworth.
Williams was just seen reprising her role as Anne Weying in Venom: Let There Be Carnage. She’s got a busy slate coming up with Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical The Fabelmans, a reunion with Kelly Reichardt in Showing Up, and Todd Haynes’ Peggy Lee biopic Fever. Jude Law will return as Dumbledore in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.