How excited would *you* get when the headline “Branagh hints at Shakespeare with Hiddleston” pops up in your newsfeeds? Instaclick!
“…he also found time to tell us that he’d love to direct Tom Hiddleston as Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing.”
Wait….really? Is Branagh going down the “reboot” path on his already well-respected, star-studded 1993 version?
Or could it have something to do with the fact that another director of superheroes (Kenneth Branagh did Thor, Joss Whedon did the Avengers) just had a more recent, also very well regarded version?
The funny thing is that they’ve now both directed Tom Hiddleston as Loki. I have this vision of them both having him by one arm and pulling in opposite directions screaming “Mine!”) until he splits down the middle.
“Hey Kenneth, did you hear that Joss got the Avengers gig? So he gets to direct Thor this time.”
“Yeah, well, fine, I’ve still got the whole Shakespeare thing.”
“Well, yeah, about that….”
How funny would it be if Branagh couldn’t get Hiddleston because Tom had already signed on for Joss’ next project, a full-text Hamlet?
Does it matter at all that Branagh was *told* that Hiddleston's dream role was Benedick and then asked whether or not he'd be interested in directing Hiddleston in the role? And do we suppose he'd respond negatively to such an inquiry?
"Does Branagh Have Whedon-Envy?"
Wait, let me consider whether–NO.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to some *real* news in the National Enquirer–Headline: Josh Whedon To Helm Full Text Hamlet!!!
We keep you around for your sense of humor, J!
According to reports, Branagh first met Hiddleston after seeing H on stage in Othello, and they worked together on other plays before B cast H in Thor.
BTW, if you haven't seen the National Theatre Live screening of Hiddleston in Coriolanus, you REALLY ought to. (are you in the Boston area? If so, 2 more showings in the next couple weeks)
This was my 3rd time seeing Coriolanus, and the first time I actually enjoyed it. In previous productions, characters mostly came off as unlikeable. Here, he's genuinely a tragic figure.
BTW, I consider myself fortunate to have seen Hiddleston in his 2007 production of Cymbeline. He played the dual role of Cloten and Posthumus, and made the characters so distinct that it wasn't until his third switch (changing costumes ONSTAGE) that I realized they were the same actor. Mind you, this was my first time seeing Cymbeline, and other action was taking place on stage as well. And later, when I read reviews (not just mainstream press, but in Shakespeare journals), other critics reported the same experience.