Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly to Star in Theater Drama THE PLAYERS
The film is based on the true feud between stage actors Edwin Forrest and William Macready.
By: Josh Sharpe Oct. 31, 2024
Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly are reuniting! Following their turns as Laurel and Hardy in 2018's Stan & Ollie, the pair will star in a new comedy about the infamous rivalry between stage actors Edwin Forrest (Reilly) and William Macready (Coogan), according to Deadline.
Set in New York in 1847, the film will chronicle their infamous feud, beginning after Macready brings his performance of Hamlet from London and threatens to overtake Forrest's reputation as the city's top thespian. The true story ultimately resulted in the Astor Place Riot, a Manhattan protest that resulted in numerous injuries and deaths.
The new film is written by Stan & Ollie writer Jeff Pope and directed by Academy Award nominee Peter Cattaneo. It will begin production in London in 2025.
Coogan is currently appearing in the West End adaptation of Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove. His screen work includes The Lost King in 2022 as well as the critically acclaimed Philomena, co-starring Judi Dench which he co-wrote with Jeff Pope. He also recently appeared in Joker: Folie a Deux.
Reilly's has appeared on Broadaway in The Grapes of Wrath, A Streetcar Named Desire, and the revival of Sam Shepard's True West, for which he was nominated for a Tony Award. His screen credits include Chicago, Magnolia, Gangs of New York, and Step Brothers.
Photo Credit: Thomas Laisne and Nick Agro
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