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Stephen Graham’s upcoming drama Ibelin, directed by Morten Tyldum, has confirmed new cast additions as filming has begun in Norway. The film tells the “sensational” story of late disabled Norwegian gamer Mats Steen.
Love Actually and Lazarus star Billy Nighy, who earned an Oscar nod for his role in Living in 2023, has been cast in the film to replace Anthony Hopkins, who was originally attached to the project. Nighy joins Graham, Charlie Plummer, Toni Collette, Isabela Merced and Maisy Stella.
Cast for the film is further rounded out by a host of newly announced stars, including The Good Place‘s Kirby Howell-Baptiste and Game of Thrones‘ John Bradley, as well as The Arbiter‘s Ekow Quartey, Ahsoka‘s Ivanna Sakhno, Grantchester‘s Jax James and newcomer Clodagh Bhalla.
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The subject of Netflix’s 2024 documentary The Remarkable Life of Ibelin, Steen was born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which gradually saw him lose control of his limbs.
He connected to the outside world through gaming, pouring time and effort into his World of Warcraft character, Ibelin, and forging friendships within the game.
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Now, Tyldum’s movie, which is based on a script from Ilaria Bernardini with revisions by Hossein Amini, will focus on Steen and his family as well as the World of Warcraft players who became close to him.
The film is inspired by Steen’s blog, Musings of Life. The gamer passed away at the age of 25 in 2014, leaving behind his password so his family could discover his rich inner life and in-game friendships.
“Ibelin is a sensational story which will be told by a remarkable group of storytellers, first and foremost, Morten, who has a rare ability to evoke emotions with films like The Imitation Game and epics such as Passengers and Silo,” commented co-producer Philippe Rousselet (via Deadline).
“We have assembled a formidable cast, and with our frequent collaborators at Pathé, and the team at Black Bear, are confident this will be a film that will resonate with buyers and audiences everywhere.”
Ibelin is yet to announce a release date.
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Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).
