Jeff Bridges & Diane Lane sign on to lead an untitled Reed Morano project

Last Updated on July 31, 2021

For the past few weeks, I can scarcely recall scrolling through my Twitter feed without seeing images of Elisabeth Moss as Offred in creator Bruce Miller's A HANDMAIDEN'S TALE. It's a show that takes place in a dystopian future, where a woman (Moss) is forced to live as a concubine under a fundamentalist theocratic dictatorship. Why am I even bringing this up, you ask? This afternoon, it's been announced that mega stars Jeff Bridges and Diane Lane will star in an untitled project for THE HANDMAIDEN'S TALE director Reed Morano courtesy of EMJAG and Bankside Films.

Written by THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT scribe Stuart Blumberg, the project (formerly known as FIRST CHAIR) is set to be the first film developed by Bankside, a London-based international and film finance division. The film's story will tell the tale of a fastidious, self-absorbed virtuoso violinist (Bridges) whose life is thrown into a tailspin when he's diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. Due to the unfortunate turn of his health, the musician is forced to move back in with his estranged wife (Lane) as he undergoes treatment. While making an effort to live with one another, again, Bridges' character will experience a profound change in his behavior with then compels him to connect with the music and people around him in ways he could have never anticipated. The project is scheduled to begin filming in Boston this coming October.

Recently, Bankside Film' Stephen Kelliher excitedly spoke about Morano's next venture by saying, “The project has brought together some of Hollywood’s most exciting talent to tell an intensely moving story in a unique, refreshing and dynamic way. We could not be more excited to be working with such a prestigious team and to be working with our co-producers EMJAG Produtcions to bring this very special story to the world.”

Joining in on Kelliher's enthusiasm, Jeff Bridges has been quoted as saying, “The film has a lot going for it, a wonderful script by Stuart Blumberg, to be directed by Reed Morano who directed “Meadowland,” which I thought was a terrific film and the opportunity to work with Diane Lane again (we worked together in Wild Bill); plus, it involves music, which always warms my heart.”

Not to be left out of the conversation, Diane Lane expressed her passion to work beside such great people, “This is a wonderful story. I’m thrilled to have Reed behind the camera as our director and appreciate her keen eye and talent thanks to her previous work as a cinematographer.”

Once again, Morano's Bridges and Lane-led film project is scheduled to begin filming in Boston this coming October. Meanwhile, you can see Jeff Bridges as Agent Champagne in Matthew Vaughn's super-spy sequel KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE (September 22, 2017), and Diane Lane    when she returns as Martha Kent in Zack Snyder's JUSTICE LEAGUE (November 17, 2017).