Daniel Craig is courting film financiers in Qatar and across the Middle East who may be interested in funding a new passion project: an adaptation of Shakespeare’s iconic play “Othello”—only this time, it’s set in an American Army barracks in Iraq, multiple sources told Semafor. But just as the British actor courts Gulf governments—including Qatar, which has been trying for years to pitch its capital as a Middle Eastern Hollywood—the small, wealthy state has privately expressed interest in hypothetical future James Bond films. Craig famously played Bond until recently developing a distaste for the role, though his his Othello project is already backed by Barbara Broccoli, whose family holds the keys to the future of the Bond franchise—making it a perfect target for anyone looking to get on the heiress’ good side. Qatar has invested heavily in bringing Hollywood to its shores since 2009, pouring money into producer Peter Chernin’s company, enlisting former Universal exec Ron Meyer as a film consultant, and hosting its own film festivals. Craig has likewise been fighting to bring his vision of Othello to the big screen since the acclaimed stage production’s run off Broadway in 2016, sources said.
