Paul Giamatti has joined the cast of Carlo Carlei’s Romeo and Juliet, which starts shooting in Italy this month, reports Variety.
Giamatti is set to play Friar Lawrence, advisor to both Romeo and Juliet. Hailee Steinfeld plays Juliet and Douglas Booth is portraying Romeo. Ed Westwick and Kodi Smit-McPhee play their cousins, Tybalt and Benvolio.
Touted as the “Romeo and Juliet” for the “Twilight” generation, the film will be produced by Amber Entertainment and Italy’s Indiana Production.
The trade adds that shooting will take place in Mantua, the Northern Italian city to which Romeo was banished in William Shakespeare’s play, and at Rome’s Cinecitta Studios.
Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park, “Downton Abbey”) wrote the screenplay and will produce with Ileen Maisel and Lawrence Elman.
(Photo Credit: Ian Wilson/WENN.com)
