Noomi Rapace to star as Hamlet in gender-swap adaptation

Noomi Rapace is to play Hamlet in a new movie adaptation of Shakespeare's play.

According to Deadline, filmmaker Ali Abbasi is creating a gender-swap version of 'The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark' which will see Noomi in the lead role.

Icelandic screenwriter Sjón - who co-wrote Robert Eggers' upcoming movie 'The Northman' - is penning the script, and Stine Meldgaard Madsen is producing for Meta Film in conjunction with Boom Films.

The 'Prometheus' actress admits landing the part is a dream come and she believes the movie will be truly "ground-breaking".

She said: "'Hamlet' is a dream project in its purest and most explosive way. I’ve been hoping, dreaming, wishing for this as long as I’ve been an actress. I base this as much on the material as on the creative alliance that surrounds it. Ali, Sjón and Meta are for me creatives on the highest level. They’re truly brave and ground-breaking in their different areas and always on top of their game. To take on a Danish story with a Scandinavian touch and bring it out into the world with this group of people is a dream.”

Iranian-Danish director Abbasi - who trained at the Danish Film School - admits creating his own big screen version of 'Hamlet' is a major passion project for him.

He said: "Shakespeare stole the Hamlet story from us. Now it’s our turn to claim it back and make a version so insane and so bloody that make him turn in his grave. Let’s make Hamlet great again!”

Shooting on the project is scheduled for fall 2021.