LOS ANGELES, March 29 — Deadline reports that the two Oscar winners are set to board Joel Coen’s adaptation of William Shakespeare’s tragic play.

Coen (No Country For Old Men, Inside Llewyn Davis) will direct from his own script. This will be his first film without brother Ethan, his long-time directing, writing and producing partner.

Scott Rudin will produce the project.

Macbeth follows a Scottish nobleman, Macbeth, who is convinced by a trio of witches that it is his destiny to become the king of Scotland. Urged on by his ambitious wife, he tries to seize power by any means necessary.

Washington (Training Day, Fences) is set to play Macbeth while McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Burn After Reading) will take on the role of Lady Macbeth.

Having recently been seen in action thriller sequel The Equalizer 2, Washington is soon set to head behind the camera for Journal for Jordan, starring Michael B. Jordan.

Coen’s last project, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, a Western which he directed and wrote with brother Ethan, earned the pair an Oscar nomination for best adapted screenplay. — AFP-Relaxnew