Director: Richard Eyre
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson, Emily Watson, Florence Pugh, Jim Broadbent, Andrew Scott, John Macmillan, Jim Carter, Christopher Eccleston, Tobias Menzies, Anthony Calf, Karl Johnson
Production Company: Playground Entertainment, Amazon Studios and BBC
Kent Locations Used: Dover

King Lear (2018) is a modern-day adaptation of William Shakespeare’s play of the same name. The film tells the tragic story of King Lear (Anthony Hopkins) who abdicates his throne in favour of his two corrupt daughters Regan (Emily Watson) and Goneril (Emma Thompson), rejecting his loving and honest third daughter Cordelia (Florence Pugh) when she fails his test of flattery.

Director Richard Eyre has previously worked on films Notes on a Scandal and Iris. Anthony Hopkins, who plays King Lear, is best known for his role in The Silence of the Lambs and Nixon. Emma Thompson as eldest daughter Goneril, was previously in Love Actually and The Remains of the Day.

Scenes were filmed in various locations in Dover, such as at Dover Castle, Samphire Hoe, and Abbot’s Cliff.

King Lear (2018) aired on Monday 28 May 2018 on BBC Two.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.