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A Different Man's Adam Pearson will play Joseph Merrick in a new Elephant Man movie
Pearson will star as Merrick not in a remake of David Lynch's 1980 movie of the same name, but an adaptation of the 1977 stage play of the same name by Bernard Pomerance
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"I am the Elephant Man."
It's a famous line in famous a tale about a famous individual, Joseph Carey Merrick. Merrick, dubbed "The Elephant Man," was exhibited as part of a freak show in the late 19th century due to physical abnormalities, then went on to become a designer and person of interest in Victorian London society. Now, Merrick's tale is about to be told again, this time by Adam Pearson, star of last year's A24 movie A Different Man, who will play the artist in an upcoming film.
The news comes Variety, who reported on the casting May 1. Also included in the casting announcement is an important distinction for those unaware of the ways Merrick's story has been adapted in the past century. The Elephant Man that Pearson will star in is not, contrary to what film buffs might think, a remake of the 1980 movie starring John Hurt and directed by the late, great David Lynch.
No, this Elephant Man will be an adaptation of the 1977 stage play The Elephant Man by Bernard Pomerance, which famously told the story of Merrick's life without prosthetics. Over the years, several pop culture icons have played Merrick in revivals of the show, including Mark Hammill, Bradley Cooper, and my personal favorie, David Bowie.
"Joseph Merrick is a man I have a long and complex relationship with," Pearson said in a statement, "From having his name used as a term of derision to learning about the man himself in documentaries I’ve presented. It’s been a cathartic journey of growing to love and respect a man who I as a child I avoided even thinking about. Now as a disability advocate and actor, I can think of no greater honour (yet heavy responsibility) than to tell the true story of Joseph Carey Merrick."
As of this writing, no filming or release dates have been announced for Pearson's Elephant Man.
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