Steve Coogan to Play Dr. Strangelove in Stage Adaptation of Stanley Kubrick Movie

Coogan will also play at least two other roles.

By Russ Burlingame

Steve Coogan has been tapped to play the title role in the upcoming stage adaptation of Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. The role, originally played onscreen by Peter Sellers, will also require Coogan to take on other, smaller roles within the play. In the movie, Sellers played Dr. Strangelove, a former Nazi scientist; a British officer who learns a U.S. general has ordered a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union; and the President of the United States, who has to act fast to stop World War III. When the new production, headed by Veep creator Armando Iannucci, was announced, Iannucci suggested that they would look for an actor who could take on multiple parts.

Kubrick's film is widely regarded as one of the best comedies of all time, and one of the defining pieces of media of the Cold War between the US and Soviet Union. The filmmaker's family are on board with the adaptation, having granted Iannucci access to Kubrick's personal archives, including ideas and pieces of script for scenes not used in the final film. 

"The idea of putting Dr. Strangelove on stage is daunting," Coogan told The Independent. "A huge responsibility. It's also an exciting challenge, an opportunity to bring this timeless classic to a new audience."

"I've seen Steve Coogan close-up for many years now, and can tell you that no-one gets right under the skin of a character the way he does," said Iannucci. "We're all so delighted he'll be bringing these amazing gifts to the stage for the hugely contrasting roles in Dr. Strangelove and I for one can't wait to see Steve make them his own. It's going to be a thrill for all of us."

Iannucci had previously suggested that some previously-unused material might make its way into the stage version. Dr. Strangelove's most notorious deleted scene is a pie fight, held in the war room and originally intended to be the big finish for the movie. As far as anyone knows, all the footage from the scene has been destroyed, but some still photos remain.  

Related:

Performances of Dr. Strangelove take place at London's Noel Coward Theatre from October 8 2024 until December 21. You can get your tickets here.

h/t NME

Trending Now: