A New "Romeo and Juliet" Ballet Movie Is Happening and We're Freaking Out
Ever wish that Kenneth MacMillan’s iconic ballet production of Romeo and Juliet could have a beautiful love child with the Leo DiCaprio/Claire Danes film version?
Wish granted: Today, the trailer for a new film called Romeo and Juliet: Beyond Words was released, featuring MacMillan’s choreography and with what looks like all the cinematic glamour we could ever dream of.
Ever better, it features Royal Ballet first soloist William Bracewell and principal Francesca Hayward as the star-crossed lovers, along with other Royal favorites like Matthew Ball and Marcelino Sambé. (It’s a big year for Hayward on the big screen: In December she will star as Victoria in the CATS film.) Former Royal Ballet dancers and BalletBoyz founders Michael Nunn and William Trevitt—who have their fair share of experience with dance films—will direct and stage MacMillan’s choreography.
It looks like the ballet is slightly abridged: The film runs 90 minutes and is set to a unique cut of the Prokofiev score recorded by the Royal Opera House orchestra.
Currently the film is scheduled to premiere as a one-night-only event at cinemas throughout England on December 16, but our fingers are crossed for a stateside and/or digital release.
