Steve Coogan and Armando Iannucci Team for ‘Dr. Strangelove’ Stage Adaptation

Steve Coogan goes for Peter Sellers. The Alan Partridge And Philomena star has signed on for a British stage adaptation of Stanley Kubrick’s groundbreaking nuclear war satire Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bombwith Coogan playing multiple roles, as Sellers did in the 1964 feature film.

Veep And Death of Stalin Director Armando Iannucci, together with Sean Foley, adapts Kubrick’s film for the stage. Foley, who has had West End success with adaptations such as The painkiller Starring Kenneth Branagh and Ben Elton The novice crowwill also direct the play, which will premiere at the Noel Coward Theater in London on October 8, 2024.

The official Stanley Kubrick account at X, formerly known as Twitter, made Coogan’s casting announcement on Tuesday.

BREAKING NEWS – Steve Coogan named to star in stage adaptation of Stanley Kubrick’s dark comedy Dr. Strangelove.
One of Britain’s most acclaimed actors, Coogan will take on multiple roles and appear at the Noel Coward Theater in 2024.
tickets for sale https://t.co/fvEzMhBFWe pic.twitter.com/SVsCQKahT9

— Stanley Kubrick (@StanleyKubrick) September 26, 2023

Iannucci confirmed the news privately, saying he “can’t wait to get started” on the adjustment. “We all hope that we can send people home with a smile and a shout.”

I can’t wait to get started. We all hope that we can send people home with a smile and a shout. #DrStrangelove https://t.co/HYgRm05s1h

— Armando Iannucci (@Aiannucci) September 26, 2023

Salespeople played three radically different roles in this Dr. Strangelove: the unflappable group Captain Lionel Mandrake, the confused American President Merkin Muffley and the wheelchair-bound German rocket scientist Dr. Strangelove. He would take on a fourth role, that of cowboy bomber pilot Major ‘King’ Kong, before eventually casting the more culturally appropriate Slim Pickens. Sellers received an Oscar nomination for his triple-threat performance.

The stage version of Dr. Strangelove, the first-ever adaptation of a Kubrick film, is produced by Patrick Myles and David Luff, in association with Tulchin Bartner Productions and Playful Productions. Jonathan Cameron is the executive producer of the Stanley Kubrick Estate. The film, about a rogue American general who triggers nuclear Armageddon, is considered a masterpiece of comedy and dark satire.

“The idea of ​​putting Dr. Strangelove Standing on stage is daunting, a huge responsibility,” Coogan said in a statement. “It is also an exciting challenge, an opportunity to bring this timeless classic to a new audience. Knowing that I will be part of a creative team led by Sean Foley and Armando Iannucci means I will be working with the best people. Sean is a master of stage comedy and Armando and I started working together over 30 years ago. We created a memorable comedy together, so it’s great to be working with him again.”