Jonathan Rhys Meyers To Star In ‘The Aspern Papers’ (original) (raw)

Jonathan Rhys Meyers has been tapped to star opposite Vanessa Redgrave and Joely Richardson in the Julien Landais-directed period drama The Aspern Papers, based on based on Henry James’s novel. Jon Kortajarena, Poppy Delevingne, Morgane Polanski, Alice Aufray and Barbara Meier are also set to co-star in the film, which is shooting in Venice, Italy, where the film’s 19th century plot is set.

It follows Morton Vint (Rhys Meyers), a young writer and publisher fascinated by iconic romantic poet Jeffrey Aspern, and who strives to get his hands on the letters Aspern wrote to his beautiful mistress Juliana Bordereau. Now, decades later, Juliana (Redgrave) lives in a Venetian palazzo with her niece (Richardson), whom she dominates and Morton tries to seduce.

Landais co-wrote the screenplay with Jean Pavans and Hannah Bhuiya. Gabriela Bacher is producing for Film House Germany’s Summerstorm Entertainment, along with Julien Landais for Princeps Films. Executive producers include James Ivory, Charles S. Cohen of Cohen Media Group, Francois Sarkozy, Christian Angermayer, Klemens Hallmann and Charles-Henri de Lobkowicz. ARRI Media will be handling foreign sales.

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Rhys Meyers, who currently stars in the History Channel series Vikings, has co-starred in films like From Paris with Love, Vanity Fair, and Mission Impossible III. He is repped by CAA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.