Omar Sharif to Star in King Lear Movie, Set in Modern-Day Egypt

Omar Sharif is set to star in a film version of Shakespeare’s King Lear, according to a report in Variety. Khaled Al Khamissi is at work on the adaptation, which resets the action of the tragedy to modern-day Egypt. A director for the film will be announced at a later date.

Sharif received an Academy Award nomination for his performance in Lawrence of Arabia. Among his many other film credits are the movie musicals Funny Girl and Funny Lady, as well as such classics as Doctor Zhivago and Mackenna’s Gold. His performance in the 2003 film Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran earned him both France’s César Award for Best Actor and an award for best performance from the Venice Film Festival.