Number one fans can be flattering, but Annie Wilkes comes on a little too strong, and Bruce Willis is about to find out just how strong when he makes his Broadway debut in Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures' stage adaptation of one of Stephen King's most chilling novels: Misery.
The Hollywood Reporter reveals that Bruce Willis will star as author Paul Sheldon opposite Elizabeth Marvel (Other Desert Cities, House Of Cards) as Annie Wilkes in Misery, the Broadway adaptation of the classic 1987 novel that was adapted to film in 1990 by Rob Reiner. The play is scribed by William Goldman (The Princess Bride, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid), who also penned the screenplay for the film adaptation. The stage version of Misery made its world premiere in the fall of 2012 at Bucks County Playhouse.
Will Frears (Omnium Gatherum) will direct Misery, which will have a limited run this fall at a Broadway house that has yet to be revealed. Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures, Castle Rock Entertainment, and Raymond Wu are producing. Here's the play's synopsis and details from BroadwayWorld.com:
"Successful romance novelist Paul Sheldon (Willis) is rescued from a car crash by his "Number One Fan," Annie Wilkes (Marvel), and wakes up captive in her secluded home. While Paul is convalescing, Annie reads the manuscript to his newest novel and becomes enraged when she discovers the author has killed off her favorite character, Misery Chastain. Annie forces Paul to write a new "Misery" novel, and he quickly realizes Annie has no intention of letting him go anywhere. The irate Annie has Paul writing as if his life depends on it, and if he does not make her deadline, it will.
Misery has a set design by David Korins (Motown), lighting design by David Weiner (The Normal Heart) and sound design by Tony Award winner Darron West (Peter and the Starcatcher)."
James Caan played Sheldon and Kathy Bates portrayed Annie in the 1990 film adaptation, the latter winning an Oscar and a Golden Globe for her intense performance. Stay tuned to Daily Dead for more details.
Elizabeth Marvel:
Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.
When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.
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