The flames are starting to engulf this poster for The Tempest

My inner theater nerd gets really excited over this.

An official poster and two stills for THE TEMPEST have been released.

Julie Taymor is helming this adaptation and I think it’s in good hands. Watching TITUS, one of her earlier Shakespeare adaptations is visually appealing. Also, it has probably the best performance from Alan Cumming that I have ever seen. I was quite taken with ACROSS THE UNIVERSE as well, but have had to take an extended break from it since I watched the movie so many times after it released on DVD.

While Russell Brand’s name might caution you to stray away, the rest of the cast makes the film way worth the view: Russell Brand, Helen Mirren, Alfred Molina, Djimon Hounsou, Alan Cumming, Chris Cooper, Ben Whishaw, David Strathairn, and Felicity Jones. The poster is great, and how bad ass is Helen Mirren surrounded by that ring of fire? Please feel free to add more Johnny Cash lyrics to the strike backs as well.

Official synopsis:

“In her big-screen adaptation of Shakespeare’s mystical thriller “The Tempest,” Academy Award-nominated Julie Taymor (“Across the Universe,” “Frida,” “Titus”) brings an original dynamic to the story by changing the gender of the sorcerer Prospero into the sorceress Prospera, portrayed by Oscar winner Helen Mirren (“The Queen”). Prospera’s journey spirals through vengeance to forgiveness as she reigns over a magical island, cares for her young daughter, Miranda, and unleashes her powers against shipwrecked enemies in this exciting, masterly mix of romance, tragicomedy and the supernatural.”