Elsinore to co-star Billie Piper, Johnny Flynn, Luke Thompson, Monica Dolan, Juliet Stevenson, Joe Locke, Adeel Akhtar, Matthew Beard, David Dawson, Kadiff Kirwan, Dickie Beau & Peter Mullan
Further casting has been announced for Elsinore, the new movie based on the life of acclaimed stage and screen actor Ian Charleson.
Theatre and film director Simon Stone (Yerma, Ivanov) is directing Elsinore, which has a screenplay by BAFTA winner Stephen Beresford (Pride, Pride The Musical).
Already announced are BAFTA winner and multi-Golden Globe nominee Andrew Scott (VANYA, All of Us Strangers, Ripley) as Ian Charleson, alongside Academy Award, Golden Globe and Emmy winner Olivia Colman (The Favourite, The Crown, The Lost Daughter).
They will be joined by Billie Piper (Yerma, Wednesday), Johnny Flynn (The Motive and the Cue, Ripley), Luke Thompson (A Little Life, Bridgerton), Olivier winner Monica Dolan (Talking Heads, Mr Bates vs The Post Office), Olivier winner Juliet Stevenson (The Land of the Living, Reawakening), Joe Locke (Clarkston, Heartstopper Forever), Adeel Akhtar (The Estate, Sherwood), Matthew Beard (Vienna Blood), David Dawson (My Policeman), Kadiff Kirwan (Intimate Apparel, Slow Horses), Dickie Beau (Showmanism, What It Feels Like For A Girl) and Peter Mullan (Red or Dead, Ozark).
Elsinore promises to be a powerful, deeply moving and inspiring true story of the actor Ian Charleson, who faced incredible odds while preparing to give the performance of his life in Hamlet at the National Theatre in London.
The Scottish screen and stage actor is best known for film roles including Chariots of Fire and Gandhi, and on stage in National Theatre productions of Hamlet and Guys & Dolls. One of the greatest actors of his generation, he died in 1990 at the age of 40 from AIDS. The annual Ian Charleson Awards were set up in his name.
Simon Stone is a BAFTA and Olivier-nominated director best known for films including The Dig, and theatre work including this year’s The Lady From the Sea at the Bridge Theatre. His forthcoming stage projects include Ivanov starring Chris Pine at the Bridge Theatre in 2026.
Film director Stephen Frears was originally attached to the project.
Stephen Beresford’s forthcoming stage projects include Pride The Musical, based on his acclaimed film, which is playing the National Theatre from 11 June 2026.
Mike Eley (The Dig) is DOP, Helen Scott (Living) is Production Designer, Mel Page (The Dig) is Costume Designer, Valerio Bonelli (Darkest Hour) is Editor, Jessica Ronane (Emma) is casting the film.
Studiocanal is financing the movie. They recently launched a new theatre production company called Studiocanal on Stage, following their successful co-production of major new West End show Paddington The Musical at the Savoy Theatre in London.
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