“Art” turns one expensive white painting into a full-blown friendship crisis. Ralph Fiennes (“Conclave,” “The Menu”), Colin Farrell (“The Banshees of Inisherin,” “In Bruges”), and Wagner Moura (“The Secret Agent,” “Civil War”) are set to star in a new film version of Yasmina Reza’s acclaimed comedy, with Fernando Meirelles directing and Christopher Hampton writing the screenplay.
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Meirelles, the Brazilian filmmaker behind “City of God,” “The Constant Gardener,” and “The Two Popes,” is taking on an English-language adaptation of Reza’s play, which premiered in Paris in 1994 before becoming a major West End and Broadway success. Hampton has a long history with the material, having translated the play into English before writing the screenplay for this new version.
The play follows three longtime friends: Serge, Marc, and Yvan. Serge buys a large, expensive, almost completely white painting, with a few slightly less white lines. Marc is baffled—and a little furious—that his friend would spend that much money on it. Their argument over the painting quickly strains the friendship, while Yvan, already dealing with his own problems, gets caught in the middle and only makes things worse by trying to keep both sides happy.
“Art” won the Tony Award for Best Play in 1998, and the material has stayed alive because it is built for actors. There is no giant premise to hide behind, no elaborate plot mechanics, and no spectacle beyond three people saying too much. With Fiennes, Farrell, and Moura, the casting does most of the selling.
The film also reunites Fiennes with Meirelles after “The Constant Gardener,” the 2005 drama that earned Rachel Weisz an Oscar. Farrell has spent the last several years moving between studio projects, prestige TV, and sharp-edged character work, while Moura is coming off a major run with “The Secret Agent,” which won him Best Actor at Cannes.
The project is expected to launch for buyers at the Cannes market. No production start date or release plan has been announced yet.
Rodrigo Perez is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Playlist, which he launched in 2008. He has worked in entertainment journalism since 2000, including at MTV, and has written for SPIN, IndieWire, Pitchfork, Complex, Magnet, and various music, film, and entertainment publications over the past two decades.
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