Fassy Gets Bloody For Macbeth

Having played Mr Rochester and Magneto, Michael Fassbender’s set to sex up another literary icon in Justin Kurzel’s upcoming adaptation of William Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, ‘Macbeth’.

The first images of the actor in the titular role have been released, showing him alongside Marion Cotillard as his manipulative missus, who goads and coaches Macbeth into committing regicide.

[Exclusive: X-Men stars on Magneto spin-off, The Wolverine 2 and Apocalypse]

Taking place in war-torn 11th-century Scotland, the film will be faithful to the much-loved original text, following Lord Macbeth’s bloody rise to the throne, and subsequent downfall.

But despite the Scottish warrior’s nefarious deeds, Fassbender is sympathetic to his character’s journey.

“I don’t think Macbeth is evil. I think he’s damaged,” the actor told the Daily Mail. “When we meet him, he’s a man who’s as good as his circumstances will allow. He serves his king loyally and looks after his soldiers.

“He’s suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. It makes total sense, when you think about it. Justin set the seed of the idea in my head.

“This trauma is something we know about. In World War I they called it battle fatigue, and it was probably more horrific in Macbeth’s days, when they were killing with their bare hands, and driving a blade through bodies.

“He’s having these hallucinations, and he needs to return to the violence to find some sort of clarity, or peace.”

The cast will adopt Scottish accents for the retelling, with the exception of French actress Cotillard.

“We felt it would be unreasonable for her to put on a Scottish accent,” explained producer Iain Canning. “It would not be unreasonable to presume that her character spent time in the French court.”

‘Macbeth’ is set to hit UK cinemas in 2015.