Apple's 'Tragedy of Macbeth' to close out BFI London Film Festival

The star-studded Apple TV+ film "The Tragedy of Macbeth" is set to close out the 65th BFI London Film Festival in October.

Apple's yet unreleased "Tragedy of Macbeth" has been dubbed an ambitious project, a stylized retelling of the Shakespearian classic. The film is written and directed by Joel Coen of Coen Brothers fame, known for such films as "The Big Lebowski," "O Brother, Where Art Thou," and the 1996 black comedy "Fargo."

"Tragedy of Macbeth" stars multiple Oscar-winners Frances McDormand and Denzel Washington. McDormand plays Lady Macbeth, and Washington stars as Lord Macbeth.

The project marks the first film Joel Coen has created without his brother and longtime filmmaking partner, Ethan Coen.

"We fell in love with Joel Coen's adaptation of Shakespeare's Scottish Play," says Tricia Tuttle, BFI London Film Festival Director in a press release. "Poised in a magical space between theatre and cinema, this is a stunning production."

Shot in black and white, Coen eschewed any location footage, preferring what he calls the "unreality" of sound stages.

"It's such a privilege to be closing the LFF with a film of this extraordinary calibre and welcoming Joel Coen and his collaborators to the festival," she concludes.

BFI London Film Festival in October is set to take place from Wednesday, October 6, until Sunday, October 17. The film will close out the festival at the LFF Gala venue in the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall. Joel Cohen is expected to make an appearance.

The film will be available for limited preview screenings in cinemas in locations such as London, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, and Sheffield. BFI will also hold a virtual premiere on BFI Player for those based in the United Kingdom.