Pierce Brosnan voices “emotionally conflicted” Pontius Pilate in new ‘King of Kings’ animated film
Pierce Brosnan, Mark Hamill and Ben Kingsley are bringing Jesus Christ’s adversaries to life in an exciting new animated feature inspired by a posthumously published story from Charles Dickens.
The three performers portray villains as part of the star-studded voice cast for director Seong-ho “Jay” Jang’s The King of Kings, which goes on cinema release on 11th April.
Hailing from South Korea-based animation house Mofac Animation, the film is loosely based on The Life of Our Lord, the Dickens short story that was published decades after the author’s death and focuses on the life and times of Christ.
Dickens wrote The Life of Our Lord for his children between 1846 and 1849. Every Christmas, he would read the book aloud to them until his passing. However, the work remained largely unknown to the public.
Brosnan voices Pontius Pilate, the biblical figure who ordered Jesus’ crucifixion. Hamill has tackled the role of King Herod, who is described in the Bible as ordering the Massacre of the Innocents shortly after Jesus’ birth. Kingsley has taken on the part of High Priest Caiaphas, who presided over the Sanhedrin trial of Jesus.
Before his death, Dickens explicitly stated in his will that the manuscript was not to be published until all of his children had passed away. In this deeply personal account, Dickens set aside his usual literary techniques and adopted a warm and simple narrative, sharing engaging stories in a fatherly tone full of love and guidance. It was not until 1934 that his family finally decided to publish the book, making it available to the public.
Dubbed “the most authoritative work in Dickens’ writings,” The Life of Our Lord highlights a side of Dickens that is often overlooked—his deep engagement with Christian faith. In God and Charles Dickens: Recovering the Christian Voice of a Classic Author, scholar Gary L. Colledge argues that Christian themes were central in some of Dickens’ works, particularly The Life of Our Lord, and were implicitly woven throughout his other characters and plots. As Dickens’ Christian perspective is seldom examined, Colledge’s research sheds fresh light on the faith that shaped the celebrated author’s storytelling.
“When I read the script, I was totally enamoured by it,” says Brosnan.
“I loved reading it, the rendition of it. You have the story within the story. You have the father, the son. And you have Jesus. Are you king of the Jews?”
The Catholic actor said that the words made perfect sense as he studied them on the page.
“In my appearance and portrayal of Pontius Pilate is a man who’s conflicted emotionally. He doesn’t want to have to… make the decision to nail him to the cross. The words made sense on the page. The character was written well. I’m sure it will touch many people’s hearts.”
Brosnan, whose recent projects include The Out-Laws and HBO’s The Great Lillian Hall, has also been filming Steven Soderbergh’s spy thriller Black Bag.
“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,” producer Anfernee Kim said in a statement.
“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.”
http://www.thekingofkingsfilm.com