“Scenes from a Marriage” re-examines the blistering 1973 miniseries’ iconic depiction of love, hatred, desire, monogamy, and marriage through the lens of a modern-day American couple, played by Isaac and Chastain. The limited series project marks a reunion for Chastain and co-star Oscar Isaac, who led JC Chandor’s 2014 film “A Most Violent Year.” The series will transport the ’70s-set story of the Swedish original, which was condensed from its original six parts to a theater-friendly, three-hour movie in 1974, to America. Chastain (taking over for Michelle Williams, who was originally cast) and Isaac embody the roles originated by Liv Ullmann and Erland Josephson, respectively, who played an affluent married couple whose marriage is charted, from disintegration to reconciliation and back, across a decade.
Bergman based the saga on his own experiences, including his longtime relationship with muse and partner Ullmann, to whom he was married from 1965 to 1970. The film has been an endless font of inspiration for filmmakers from Richard Linklater and Ari Aster, and even turned out a sequel with 2003’s “Saraband,” the last film by Ingmar Bergman, who died in 2007. The series is developed, written, and directed by Levi, the voice behind HBO’s original “In Treatment” and the more-recent limited series, “Our Boys,” as well as Showtime’s “The Affair,” another show about the rippling consequences of a marital collapse. Jessica Chastain will next be seen in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” as televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker. The film is directed by Michael Showalter and is set to release in September as well. Oscar Isaac, meanwhile, will soon be seen in Paul Schrader’s drama “The Card Counter” and Denis Villeneuve’s long-awaited “Dune” this fall. He’s currently filming the Marvel Studios series “Moon Knight.” He’ll also play Francis Ford Coppola in the upcoming film “Francis and the Godfather,” about the making of the iconic classic, from director Barry Levinson. The upcoming limited series “Scenes from a Marriage” will debut this September on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max. “Scenes from a Marriage” is a Media Res production.
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