Hopkins, 70, will appear alongside Gwyneth Paltrow and Keira Knightley.

Those with long memories, however, might recall that this is the same Sir Anthony who in the past has been less than complimentary about William Shakespeare’s work.

“I have no interest in Shakespeare and all that British nonsense,” he once said.

“I just wanted to get famous and all the rest is hogwash.”

Suspect that the pay cheque will more than make up for Sir Anthony’s famous cynicism towards the Bard.