Tony & Oscar Winner Mark Rylance Signs On for WAITING FOR THE BARBARIANS

Mark Rylance and Ciro Guerra have signed on to the big screen adaptation of J.M. Coetzee's award winning book WAITING FOR THE BARBARIANS, according to Deadline. Coetzee, who received the Nobel Prize for literature, adapted the novel which the Nobel Prize committee described as "a political thriller in the tradition of Joseph Conrad, in which the idealist's naiveté opens the gates to horror."

First published in 1980, the story follows "a magistrate (to be played by Rylance) of a far-flung border outpost as the reckless behavior of the "Empire" he serves threatens to trigger a Barbarian invasion. He begins to question imperialism when he saves a young 'barbarian' (one of the indigenous people in the country) and realizes that all is not what it appears to be. After mounting a harrowing escape, he is arrested by his own people and thrown in jail only to escape and eventually become an inspiration and leader to others."

Rylance picked up a 2016 Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for his role in BRIDGE OF SPIES. This was his first Academy Award nomination. The actor has won TONY AWARDS for his performance in BOEING BOEING on Broadway in 2008 and in JERUSALEM in 2011. He is also a two-time Olivier Award recipient for Much Ado About Nothing at the Queen's Theatre and JERUSALEM in the West End.

Rylance recently appeared on the West End in RICHARD III and TWELFTH NIGHT; he also reprised those roles on Broadway. Other stage credits include LA BETE, TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA and HENRY V, among others.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos