Cannes 2012: Rupert Everett to Make Directorial Debut With Oscar Wilde Biopic

CANNES – Rupert Everett will make his directorial debut with The Happy Prince, a comedic biopic on Oscar Wilde that will star Everett as the legendary Irish writer and playwright and Colin Firth as his friend and confidant Reginald "Reggie" Turner.

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Everett, who co-starred with Firth in the Wilde adaptation An Ideal Husband (1999), will pen the script to The Happy Prince. The film will look at Wilde’s final, tragic days as he looks back on the disasters of his life with characteristic dry wit and black humor.

Emily Watson, Tom Wilkinson and Edward Fox are also attached to star in The Happy Prince. Shooting is planned for Summer 2013. Beta Cinema has picked up world sales rights to the project and is pre-selling it at Cannes’ Marche du Film.

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Behind the camera, Germany’s cine plus and Bavaria Pictures, Brit production company Robert Fox and Bavaria Media Italia will produce The Happy Prince. Cinematographer Martin Ruhe (Control) will lens the film while Christoph Kanter, who worked on Palme d’Or winner The White Ribbon, will handle production design. Concorde will release the film in Germany.