James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has officially confirmed that her first feature film since stepping away from the 007 franchise — a big-screen adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello — has secured financing in Qatar and will begin principal photography in the Gulf state in autumn 2026.
The film will star David Oyelowo as Othello (reprising his role from the 2016 stage production), Rachel Brosnahan returning as Desdemona, and Cynthia Erivo as Emilia. Oyelowo will also make his feature directorial debut.
Broccoli broke the news during the three-day Industry Days event in Qatar, hosted by Media City Qatar’s Film Committee in partnership with the Doha Film Institute. She was joined onstage by producer Nicky Bentham and surprise guest Oyelowo.
The project is being produced by Broccoli and Bentham for EON Productions, alongside Oyelowo’s Yoruba Saxon banner, in co-financing partnership with Doha-based Katara Studios. The production will also utilize Qatar’s newly launched Qatar Screen Production Incentive (QSPI) rebate. Post-production and VFX will be handled by Company 3, which just announced it is opening a new facility in Doha.
The film is based on Broccoli’s acclaimed 2016 off-Broadway production at New York Theatre Workshop, directed by Sam Gold and co-starring Daniel Craig as Iago. That staging reimagined Shakespeare’s tragedy by relocating the action from 17th-century Venice to a contemporary U.S. military base in Iraq. No casting has yet been announced for Iago in the movie.
Rumors of an imminent green light had circulated for months after EON registered Othello Film Company Limited in the UK.
The Qatar shoot comes just months after Broccoli and her brother Michael G. Wilson handed creative control of the James Bond franchise to Amazon MGM Studios.
Speaking at a creative producing masterclass alongside Bentham, Broccoli said:
“I’ve wanted to produce the cinematic adaptation of Othello since we staged the production in New York in 2016. I’m incredibly excited that David Oyelowo will be directing and returning as Othello, Rachel Brosnahan will be reprising the role of Desdemona, and Cynthia Erivo is playing Emilia. We thank the Film Committee for their support and look forward to shooting in Qatar in Autumn 2026.”
David Oyelowo added:
“Our cinematic version of Othello is bitingly modern and fearlessly ambitious. To have a real shot at that, you need fearless actors. Cynthia is not only a generational talent but a dear friend with whom I am always keen to collaborate, and Rachel was a dream to play opposite in our original stage production and has been an inspiring pillar to build around for our fresh take on this legendary tale.”
