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Ian McKellen goes absolutely feral in a storm — Shakespearean drama at its most unhinged.
TMDB
67
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King Lear (2008)

Power drunkFamily dinner from hellMad king hours

Overview

DramaTV Movie

An aging King invites disaster, when he abdicates to his corrupt, toadying daughters, and rejects his loving and honest one.

Flag of GBGB
Content warning
BetrayalAging and obsolescenceBlindness and insightNature vs. civilization

Standout Aspects

Acting

McKellen's descent into madness is masterclass material.

Direction

Trevor Nunn's theatrical precision in every frame.

Production

Bleak, minimalist sets amplify the psychological horror.

Best for:Solo: Cry alone in dignified silence, preferably with wine.·Theater: Stage roots shine through — purists will weep with joy.
Heads up:Violence: Eye-gouging scene, graphic for stage adaptation standards.·Emotional: Multiple parental deaths, genuinely devastating ending.
Trevor Nunn

Director

Trevor Nunn

ReleasedAug 6, 2008
Runtime2h 30m
StatusReleased

Vibe

Paceslow
Intensityhigh
Tonedark
Feelheavy
Richard Price TV Associates Ltd.

Top Cast

Ian McKellen

Ian McKellen

King Lear

Romola Garai

Romola Garai

Cordelia

Monica Dolan

Monica Dolan

Regan

Sylvester McCoy

Sylvester McCoy

The Fool

Philip Winchester

Philip Winchester

Edmund

Jonathan Hyde

Jonathan Hyde

Earl of Kent

Frances Barber

Frances Barber

Goneril

William Gaunt

William Gaunt

Earl of Gloucester

Julian Harries

Julian Harries

Duke of Albany

John Heffernan

John Heffernan

Oswald

Ask about King Lear

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Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Trivia

McKellen performed this same production on stage over 100 times before filming, perfecting every howl and stagger.

Insight

Nunn deliberately aged McKellen up with makeup to emphasize Lear's fragility, though the actor was only 69 — younger than many stage Lears.

Gallery

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