St. Vincent is set to direct The Picture of Dorian Gray with a female in the lead role
Annie Clark, a.k.a. St. Vincent, is set to direct a film version of Oscar Wilde’s 1890 novel The Picture of Dorian Gray for Lionsgate, according to Variety. In this version, Dorian Gray, a hedonistic man in pursuit of pleasure who stays young while his portrait ages, will be played by a woman. David Birke (Paul Verhoeven’s Elle) will pen the script.
St. Vincent’s self-titled album won the 2015 Grammy for Best Alternative Album. Her short Birthday Party was included as part of the female-focused XX horror anthology. She also co-wrote, scored and directed the film.
Here is the plot of The Picture of Dorian Gray, the only novel Wilde ever published. “As Dorian Gray sinks into a life of crime and gross sensuality, his body retains perfect youth and vigor while his recently painted portrait grows day by day into a hideous record of evil, which he must keep hidden from the world.”
The story was first published in the July 1890 issue of Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine, but it was censored without Wilde’s knowledge. It was published in book form in 1891 with an now-famous foreword about artistic freedom.
The Picture of Dorian Gray has been adapted a number of times, including the 1945 film starring Hurd Hatfield, George Sanders and Angela Lansbury, the made-for-tv film in 1961 starring Jeremy Brett, Dennis Price, John Bailey and Jill Ireland, the 1973 made-for-TV film starring Shane Briant, Charles Aidman, Nigel Davenport and Vanessa Howard, yet another in 1976 with Peter Firth, Jeremy Brett, John Gielgud and Judi Bowker, the 2005 film starring Josh Duhamel, Ranier Judd, Brandon Waugh and Darby Stanchfiel, and the 2009 movie starring Ben Barnes. The character also appeared in the recent TV series Penny Dreadful.
Are you guys excited for St. Vincent’s version of The Picture of Dorian Gray? Let us know at @ComingSoonnet.
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