EXCLUSIVE: Cate Blanchett‘s Dirty Films has acquired the film rights to one of the hottest theater shows around: the Sydney Theatre Company’s adaptation of Oscar Wilde classic The Picture Of Dorian Gray, which has recently been lighting up London’s West End.
Sarah Snook has garnered raves for her performance in the latest iteration of the show and last Sunday the Succession star scored an Olivier Award for Best Actress.
Dirty Films partner Andrew Upton is working with the show’s mastermind Kip Williams on a treatment based on the technically dazzling one woman show, which sees its protagonist play 26 roles. The part was first performed by Eryn Jean Norvill in multiple sell-out runs across Australia. Oscar winner Blanchett attended the most recent run’s opening night in London earlier this year.
Co-producers on the film will be Rachel Gardener and Jo Porter of Australian company Curio Pictures, whose credits include Slow West, The Stranger and upcoming TV drama The Narrow Road to the Deep North, based on the Booker Prize-winning novel.
It’s very early days on the project so no news yet on casting.
Deadline’s Baz Bamigboye had the scoop earlier this year that the “breathtakingly innovative” Picture Of Dorian Gray may find its way to Broadway in early 2025.
Kip Williams, who will step down at the end of this year from his role at the helm of the Sydney Theater Company, is known for using live camera feeds and screens on stage to create what he calls “cine-theatre”. He and fellow Australian director Upton have worked together on multiple occasions.
Oscar Wilde’s classic Gothic novella charts the story of a vain and hedonistic man who sells his soul in return for the promise of eternal youth.
Blanchett, Upton and Coco Francini head up Dirty Films, whose credits include Carol, The New Boy and Fingernails. Blanchett and Upton themselves headed up the Sydney Theatre Company between 2008-2013.
