As one of America’s most notorious figures, Joseph McCarthy is finally getting the biopic treatment next year.

The controversial U.S. senator, who promoted mass hysteria of anti-communism across the States during the 1950s, is set to be portrayed by two-time Oscar-nominated actor Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road, Nocturnal Animals) in the upcoming drama ‘McCarthy‘.

Two years after concluding her iconic role as Daenerys Targaryen in HBO’s epic fantasy series Game of Thrones (2011-19), British beauty Emilia Clarke is also onboard for the biopic along with Dane DeHaan (Chronicle, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets) and Scoot McNairy (The Place Beyond the Pines, Narcos: Mexico).

Directed by Václav Marhoul (The Painted Bird), the film will depict the rise and fall of McCarthy and his enablers which included his politically ambitious wife Jean Kerr (Clarke), his ruthless young lawyer Roy Cohn (DeHaan) and his trusted friend and colleague Ray Kiermas (McNairy).

This will be Emilia’s first major screen role since her appearance as Kate in the festive rom-com Last Christmas (2019).

McCarthy is set to go into production at the end of 2022 with the USA and Prague being used for shooting.