Kingsley, Brosnan & Hamill to Voice the Villains in The King of Kings
JUNE 4, 2024 (Seoul, South Korea) – Academy Award winner Sir Ben Kingsley, beloved James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan and Star Wars universe luminary Mark Hamill form the ultimate vocal rogues’ gallery in Mofac Animation’s upcoming The King of Kings, an animated family film inspired by a little-known short story by Charles Dickens depicting the life and times of Jesus Christ.
Kingsley voices High Priest Caiaphas, who presided over the Sanhedrin trial of Jesus. Hamill takes on the role of King Herod, who, according to the Gospel of Matthew, ordered the Massacre of the Innocents in an attempt to kill Jesus as an infant. And Brosnan gives animated life to Pontius Pilate, who ultimately ordered the crucifixion of Jesus. The triumvirate of villainous voices further enhances the A-list cast behind the faith-based animated film, which also includes Academy Award & Emmy Award winners Kenneth Branagh (Belfast) and Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland), Golden Globe winners Oscar Isaac (Show Me A Hero) and Uma Thurman (Hysterical Blindness), and Golden Globe nominee Roman Griffin Davis (Jojo Rabbit).
Mofac Animation is seeking potential domestic and international distributors for The King of Kings, which is now in its final stages of production. The filmmakers anticipate a release date close to Easter 2025.
In the film, Charles and Walter Dickens embark on a multi-dimensional adventure as the master storyteller engages his youngest son’s vivid imagination with the fascinating life of Jesus, his well-known trials and tribulations, and his notable colleagues and foes. The film’s rich animation allows the Dickens pair (and the family cat Willa) to become intrinsically immersed in the ancient tale, interacting with Jesus, his disciples, and his detractors – while the stellar cast behind the voices brings these well-known characters to animated life like never before. The result is an animated film that makes the biblical journey easily relatable, readily understood, and captivatingly entertaining for families and, especially, children of all ages.
“The true measure of a hero is always judged by the strength of his foes, and Sir Ben Kingsley, Pierce Brosnan, and Mark Hamill deliver impactful performances that elevate their respective villains to appropriately biblical heights,” says producer Anfernee Kim. “This cast is laden with winners of every major acting award, and they’ve all bought their A-games for a story most deserving of their impressive collective talents.”
After earning an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and two BAFTA Awards for his riveting portrayal of Indian social leader Mahatma Gandhi, Sir Ben Kingsley has continued to bring unequaled detail and nuance to each role he portrays, remaining a coveted and ubiquitous talent. Spanning more than half a century, Kingsley’s film career includes an additional trio of Academy Award nominations for his performances in Bugsy, Sexy Beast, and House of Sand and Fog, and a wide range of outstanding showings in movies like Schindler’s List, Operation Finale, DaliLand, Jules, Searching for Bobby Fischer; Elegy, Iron Man 3, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Hugo, Ender’s Game; and The Boxtrolls, for which he won the Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Voice Acting in an Animated Feature. Kingsley’s notable television work includes Emmy Award-nominated performances in Mrs. Harris and Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story and a Screen Actors Guild award-winning role in Anne Frank: The Whole Story. Steeped in British theatre, he began his professional acting career with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1967, performing in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, Julius Caesar, and in the title roles of Othello and Hamlet, among others. His diverse theatrical portfolio has also encompassed productions of The Country Wife, The Cherry Orchard, A Betrothal, and Waiting for Godot. Kingsley was recently seen in Wes Anderson’s Academy Award-winning adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. He’ll next reprise his beloved Marvel Cinematic Universe character Trevor Slattery in the upcoming series Wonder Man for Disney+; star in Lionsgate’s The Killer’s Game; play Emperor Kisra in Rupert Wyatt’s actioner Desert Warrior; stars in Simmons/Hamilton Production’s upcoming shark-infested thriller Deep Water and in Nick Hamm’s upcoming biopic William Tell; and perform in Terrence Malick’s The Way of the Wind. He will also join The King of Kings co-star Pierce Brosnan in Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club. In 1984, he was awarded the Padma Sri by Indira Gandhi and the government of India; and in 2002, Kingsley was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in the New Year’s Eve Honors List. Kingsley received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010.
Pierce Brosnan is a legendary Irish American actor, film producer, environmentalist, philanthropist, artist, and two-time Golden Globe Award nominee known for his rich and extensive career in front of the camera and behind the scenes. Brosnan is notable for his roles in iconic films such as Mrs. Doubtfire, Mamma Mia, The Thomas Crown Affair and the James Bond franchise (GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, Die Another Day). Most recently, Brosnan was seen in The Last Rifleman, which is inspired by a true story of a World War II veteran living in a care home in Northern Ireland who, on the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, decides to escape the home and embark on a journey to France to pay his final respects. He was also recently seen in director Phillip Noyce’s hitman thriller, Fast Charlie based on Victor Gischler’s Edgar Award-nominated novel, Gun Monkeys, and in the DC/Warner Bros. film Black Adam. Upcoming, Brosnan will star in Max’s The Great Lillian Hall opposite Jessica Lange; the sports drama Giant; the Focus Features spy thriller Black Bag for director Steven Soderbergh; and in the Irish romance film Four Letters of Love opposite Helena Bonham Carter. Brosnan expanded the range of his film work by launching his own production company, Irish DreamTime. Alongside his wife, Keely Shaye, he is an advocate for environmental causes, actively supporting various organizations dedicated to conservation. Brosnan’s involvement extends to co-producing documentaries like “Poisoning Paradise,” shedding light on pressing environmental issues. Beyond acting and activism, he showcases his artistic talent through painting, with his works exhibited in prestigious galleries and auctions worldwide. Recently, Brosnan debuted his first solo art exhibition, “So Many Dreams,” encapsulating his artistic journey throughout the years. Brosnan was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1997.
Mark Hamill’s career has encompassed all aspects of entertainment, including stage, screen, television, and new media. He is best known as Luke Skywalker in George Lucas’ original Star Wars trilogy – A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back. and Return of the Jedi. He later reprised the role for Lucasfilm’s latest Star Wars trilogy – The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker. Hamill’s film career has included The Big Red One, Brigsby Bear, The Machine and the cult classic Corvette Summer. He is currently co-starring as Arthur Pym in Mike Flanagan’s latest limited series, The Fall Of The House Of Usher, and recently wrapped production on Flanagan’s latest Stephen King-based project, Life Of Chuck.
The King of Kings is directed by Seong-ho “Jay” Jang (Joint Security Area, The Taste of Money, Last Knights), one of the most respected filmmakers in Korea and an unparalleled pioneer in the visual effects realm. The film is co-written by Jang and Rob Edwards (Disney’s The Princess and the Frog and Treasure Planet). Emmy Award-winning dialogue & casting director Jamie Thomason (Spirited Away, The Tigger Movie) and veteran filmmaking executive Andrew Mann (Imperium, Gold, Transfusion) serve as executive producers. Anfernee Kim (Last Knights, John Woo’sThe Crossing 2) is the film’s producer.
