Enfant terrible of the 1980s art scene, Julian Schnabel went on to become a critically-acclaimed director with “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” and “Before Night Falls.”
Now, in an interview THR Italy, confirms his next film is an adaptation of Nick Tosches’s hard-boiled historical novel “In The Hand Of Dante.” The plot tells two stories, set in parallel worlds, one set in Dante's time, the other in the 21st century.
Schnabel hasn’t directed since 2018’s acclaimed “At Eternity’s Gate,” but he is eyeing to shoot ’Dante’ in October, with Oscar Isaac set to star in the lead role. This could potentially go to Cannes next year.
Schnabel has been been working on this film for a long time. Back in 2011, Johnny Depp was set to star in Isaac’s role. The film is being described as having a setting “where there is no future, there is no past, but only the eternal present”.
The film is set to shoot in fall 2027. The idea would be to release it in December 2028, timed to Trump's exit from office. Oh, and it's now Warner Bros.' indie label, Clockwork, that's backing the film.