Anthony Hopkins plays the mad king in Shakespeare tragedy

King Lear, starring Anthony Hopkins as the embattled king, debuts on Amazon Prime Sept. 28. Emma Thompson, Emily Watson, Florence Pugh and Jim Broadbent are also in the film’s cast. Richard Eyre directed.

William Shakespeare wrote King Lear.

Set in the present, the King Lear film begins as the 80-year-old king divides his kingdom among his daughters, Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. Cordelia refuses to flatter him, so he banishes her. Having acquired power, Goneril and Regan boot their father from their homes.

Born in Wales, Hopkins’ film work includes The Silence of the Lambs, Meet Joe Black and Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

The film was commissioned by the BBC and premiered on BBC Two in the UK. Amazon Studios co-produced and will air King Lear in the US, Germany and UK. It is produced by Playground and Sonia Friedman Productions, in association with Lemaise Pictures Limited for BBC Two.

Executive producers are Colin Callender and Scott Huff for Playground, Sonia Friedman for Sonia Friedman Productions and Lucy Richer for the BBC.