Oscar-winning acting veteran Anthony Hopkins will play Sigmund Freud in his next major role. Per The Hollywood Reporter, a new project revealed at Cannes, dubbed Freud's Last Session, will feature Hopkins in the lead. Matthew Brown (The Man Who Knew Infinity) is directing with a screenplay written by Mark St. Germain (The God Committee), inspired by Germain's original play of the same name.
“Beyond my own intellectual curiosity and inclination towards this piece, there is a deep recognition of how incredibly timely and important this film is,” Brown said of the feature in a statement. “We live in an age that is so ideologically polarized, where everyone is stuck in their own tribes, with no real dialogue. I want to make a film for all audiences that is emotional, thought-provoking and creative. A film that asks the big questions, while investigating what is at the heart of the human condition: love, faith, and mortality.”
No other cast members have yet been announced. The plan is to start shooting the film in late 2022 in London after shopping the project to buyers at the Cannes market. You can read the official synopsis for Freud's Last Session below.
"Set on the eve of WWII and towards the end of his life, Freud’s Last Session sees Freud (Hopkins) invite iconic author C.S. Lewis for a debate over the existence of God. Exploring Freud’s unique relationship with his lesbian daughter Anna and Lewis’ unconventional romance with his best friend’s mother, the film interweaves past, present and fantasy, bursting from the confines of Freud’s study on a dynamic journey."
Anthony Hopkins Is Still Going Strong at 84
For decades, Anthony Hopkins has been one of Hollywood's most revered actors. Last year, he set a new record as the oldest person to win the Best Actor Oscar at the Academy Awards for his acclaimed performance in The Father. He has been consistently appearing in other films and will be featured in the upcoming drama The Son alongside Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, and Vanessa Kirby.
At the start of the year, Hopkins posted a video wishing everyone happiness and good health heading into 2022. He took a moment to reflect on his life and career, questioning why he's still around but remaining grateful for his life all the same.
"We shall overcome and we'll be healthier and better," Hopkins said. "I don't know how I got here. My life has been pretty extraordinary. I cannot take credit for any of it because it's a mystery to me. I'm just lucky to be alive. All I can say is that I know very little. I've learned a few lessons, maybe, along the way. But, finally, I know very little except that life is in progress and this is not a rehearsal. This is the event, being alive. Just being alive."
Encouraging others to try to be more positive this year, the actor added, "If it's possible we all do it, give up the moaning and the complaining and the blaming. Let's just see if we can get together. Just have a great life. Bring up our young ones of next generations to cut out the blaming and the shaming and all of this stuff. Let's get on with it and live. We are all imperfect creatures. I have made many, many, many mistakes. I've learned a few things over the years."