Scarlett Johansson may be joining ‘The Batman: Part II.’
Her potential role is unknown for now.
Robert Pattinson will return as the Caped Crusader.
With a script in hand and filming set to kick off tomorrow, ‘The Batman: Part II’ writer/director Matt Reeves is building the ensemble around returning star Robert Pattinson (back as Bruce Wayne/Batman).
If Johansson –– who was famously part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Natasha “Black Widow” Romanoff –– does make the leap to DC, we’ll have to wait to learn which role she’ll take as there are no details yet.
Little is known officially about what Robert Pattinson’s Caped Crusader will tackle, but we do know that Colin Farrell is likely to return as Oz Cobb, the villainous gangster nicknamed “The Penguin” while ‘The Batman’ actors Andy Serkis (Alfred) and Jeffrey Wright (James Gordon) are also predicted to be back.
We can probably expect to see Batman tackle another menace from his rogues’ gallery, with Barry Keoghan teased as a potential Joker at the end of the original movie, but nothing confirmed about him actually playing the role.
And there had been chatter about Clayface, but with the character set to get his own movie within the main DC Studios universe (as opposed to ‘The Batman’, which falls under the ‘Elseworlds’ banner of movies/TV that don’t fit there), we’d expect someone else to threaten our hero.
Could that someone be Johansson?
Where else can we see Scarlett Johansson?
Scarlett Johansson as skilled covert operations expert Zora Bennett in ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’, directed by Gareth Edwards. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Next up, Johansson will be seen in James Gray’s ‘Paper Tiger’ opposite Miles Teller and Adam Driver. She also has a variety of other projects in development or making their way towards production, including her potential role as Mother Gothel in the live-action ‘Tangled’ for Disney.
Following a variety of release date shifts as Reeves and co-writer Mattson Tomlin honed the script, the movie is currently set to land on screens on October 1, 2027.
(Left) Saoirse Ronan as Rona in ‘The Outrun’. Photo: Martin Scott Powell. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics. (Center) Anna Sawai in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,’ coming soon to Apple TV+. (Right) Aimee Lou Wood in ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3. Photo: Fabio Lovino/HBO.
Preview:
Saoirse Ronan will play Linda McCartney in Sam Mendes’ Beatles project.
Anna Sawai and Aimee Lou Wood are among those circling roles.
(L to R) Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and John Lennon in ‘The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years.’
With the backing of Sony Pictures Classics –– not to mention being granted full life story and music rights by Beatles holding company Apple Corps Ltd. (not the iPhone gang), surviving members McCartney and Starr and the families of deceased colleagues Lennon and Harrison –– Mendes will make four different biopics, covering each Beatles’ experiences during the band’s rise to massive popularity.
Though a strict time period for what the movies will cover has yet to be announced, the idea is for the stories to (naturally intersect), looking to get a fuller, clearer picture of their time than any one movie could hope to accomplish.
Here’s what Mendes had to say about the project:
“I’m honored to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time, and excited to challenge the notion of what constitutes a trip to the movies.”
When will ‘The Beatles — A Four-Film Cinematic Event’ be in theaters?
Mendes is currently aiming for the movies to release close together in April 2028, so he has his work cut out for him and a lot of hard day’s nights ahead.
(Left) Paul Mescal plays Lucius in ‘Gladiator II’ from Paramount Pictures. (Right) Joseph Quinn plays Emperor Geta in ‘Gladiator II’ from Paramount Pictures.
Preview:
‘Gladiator II’s Paul Mescal and Joseph Quinn are reportedly playing Paul McCartney and George Harrison in new Beatles biopics.
Sam Mendes is putting the films together.
Barry Keoghan and Harris Dickinson are also linked to the movies.
Ever since we first learned months ago that ‘Skyfall’ and ‘Empire of Light’ director Sam Mendes had come up with an ambitious plan to craft not one, but four interlinked music biopics about possibly the most famous group in the world –– that would be The Beatles –– everyone has been wondering who would land the coveted, challenging roles of main members Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison.
That is now really coming into focus as, while nothing has been confirmed by either Mendes or the studio, the latest word from Deadline is that ‘Gladiator II’s Joseph Quinn is aboard to play George Harrison.
(Left) Barry Keoghan in ‘Masters of the Air,’ premiering January 26, 2024 on Apple TV+. (Right) Ringo Starr in ‘A Hard Day’s Night’. Photo: United Artists.
And talking of other people letting slip about potential casting, we also recently had Ridley Scott jokingly complaining that his ‘Gladiator II’ star Paul Mescal may not be able to reunite with him for the director’s next movie ‘The Dog Stars’ because of a clash with the Beatles movies.
Here’s what Scott said about Mescal acting in his next project when asked by Christopher Nolan in a conversational Q&A held this week at the Director’s Guild of America:
“Yes. Maybe. Paul is actually stacked up, doing the Beatles next. So I may have to let him go.”
It’s an odd coincidence that two ‘Gladiator II’ stars are both now linked to the Beatles movies, but we shouldn’t really be surprised –– both are in-demand talents, with Quinn also having just worked on Marvel’s new ‘Fantastic Four’ movie (and according to Deadline’s sources toting a guitar around set as he practices guitar for the McCartney role.)
Read on for more details on the Beatles film and the other current rumored casting…
What’s the plan for Sam Mendes’ Beatles films?
(L to R) George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and John Lennon in ‘The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years.’
With the backing of Sony Pictures Classics –– not to mention being granted full life story and music rights by Beatles holding company Apple Corps Ltd. (no, not the company behind the iPhone), surviving members McCartney and Starr and the families of deceased colleagues Lennon and Harrison –– Mendes will make four different biopics, covering each Beatles’ experiences during the band’s rise to massive popularity.
A strict time period for what the movies will cover has yet to be announced.
Here’s what Mendes had to say about the project:
“I’m honored to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time, and excited to challenge the notion of what constitutes a trip to the movies.”
And this is the statement from Mendes’ Neal Street Productions partner Pippa Harris:
“We intend this to be a uniquely thrilling, and epic cinematic experience: four films, told from four different perspectives which tell a single story about the most celebrated band of all time. To have The Beatles’ and Apple Corps’ blessing to do this is an immense privilege. From our first meeting with [Sony execs] Tom Rothman and Elizabeth Gabler, it was clear that they shared both our passion and ambition for this project, and we can’t think of a more perfect home than Sony Pictures.”
Who else has been rumored for Sam Mendes’ Beatles biopics?
(Left) Harris Dickinson as David Von Erich in ‘The Iron Claw.’ Photo: A24.
Alongside Mescal, Quinn and Keoghan (who we’ve heard was originally hired to play Emperor Geta in ‘Gladiator II,’ only to be replaced by Quinn when scheduling issues reared their heads), the buzz for John Lennon has been around Harris Dickinson.
Is it wrong that there’s a tiny part of us hoping for Mendes to shock the world by announcing that he’s instead chosen the actors who played the Fab Four in 2007’s ‘Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story’? Yes, the world demands that Paul Rudd, Jack Black, Justin Long and Jason Schwartzman return as John, Paul George and Ringo!
Given the scope of the movies, the current aim is to have the movies in theaters by 2027, with the plan for their release dates still to be announced. Will we see them release a month apart? Spread out across the years? It’s too early to tell.
“You have to match the boldness of the idea with a bold release strategy. There hasn’t been an enterprise like this before, and you can’t think about it in traditional releasing terms
(L to R) Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and John Lennon in ‘The Beatles: Get Back – The Rooftop Concert.’
(Left) Barry Keoghan in ‘Masters of the Air,’ premiering January 26, 2024 on Apple TV+. (Right) Ringo Starr in ‘A Hard Day’s Night’. Photo: United Artists.
Preview:
Ringo Starr says Barry Keoghan will play him for director Sam Mendes’ ambitious multi-biopic plan
He’ll make one film about each member’s time in the iconic band.
Apple Corps and the band have granted full life rights.
In fact, his idea was not to simply make one about the Liverpool-based supergroup whose music has dominated corners of the public consciousness for years, but four –– one each for members John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison, their stories intertwining to produce a fuller picture of their rise to pop and rock stardom in the 1960s.
Naturally, there has been feverish speculation about which rising stars or establish actors might be cast to play the four Beatles (not to mention those who were in the group before they hit it big and any appropriate partners etc.)
“I think it’s great. I believe he’s somewhere taking drum lessons, and I hope not too many.”
Yep, Ringo’s got jokes.
What’s the plan for Sam Mendes’ Beatles films?
(L to R) George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and John Lennon in ‘The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years.’
With the backing of Sony Pictures Classics –– not to mention being granted full life story and music rights by Beatles holding company Apple Corps Ltd. (no, not the company behind the Mac), surviving members McCartney and Starr and the families of deceased colleagues Lennon and Harrison –– Mendes will make four different biopics, covering each Beatles’ experiences during the band’s rise to massive popularity.
A strict time period for what the movies will cover has yet to be announced.
Here’s what Mendes had to say about the project:
“I’m honored to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time, and excited to challenge the notion of what constitutes a trip to the movies.”
And this is the statement from Mendes’ Neal Street Productions partner Pippa Harris:
“We intend this to be a uniquely thrilling, and epic cinematic experience: four films, told from four different perspectives which tell a single story about the most celebrated band of all time. To have The Beatles’ and Apple Corps’ blessing to do this is an immense privilege. From our first meeting with [Sony execs] Tom Rothman and Elizabeth Gabler, it was clear that they shared both our passion and ambition for this project, and we can’t think of a more perfect home than Sony Pictures.”
Who else has been rumored for Sam Mendes’ Beatles biopics?
Paul Mescal plays Lucius in ‘Gladiator II’ from Paramount Pictures.
At this point, we can only imagine the size of the casting net Mendes and his producers have been throwing for the project, not to mention the clamoring of agents to get their clients either a meeting or an audition.
As for the other main Beatles, the rumors so far have swirled around ‘Gladiator II’s Paul Mescal circling the role of Paul McCartney, ‘The Iron Claw’s Harris Dickinson linked to John Lennon, and Mescal’s fellow ‘Gladiator II’ actor Joseph Quinn (who will also be appearing in next year’s ‘Fantastic Four’ movie for Marvel) to portray George Harrison.
Essentially, it’s been a who’s who of who’s hot. Mendes, of course, will make his choice in due time (assuming he hasn’t already) and we’ll have to wait for a big announcement to see who actually ends up on screen.
Mendes’ movies will be highly anticipated, and not just for the scope of their ambition –– you need to find a way to stand out in the music biopic business; just look at the upcoming film on the life of Robbie Williams, which sees the pop star brought to life as a CG ape.
The Beatles, of course, are on a whole other level.
And interest in them continues to be high –– we’ve only just seen the latest documentary about the group, ‘Beatles ‘64’, which blends previously-shown footage with some new interviews.
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When will Sam Mendes’ Beatles biopics hit theaters?
Given the scope of the movies, the current aim is to have the movies in theaters by 2027, with the plan for their release dates still to be announced. Will we see them release a month apart? Spread out across the years? It’s too early to tell.
“You have to match the boldness of the idea with a bold release strategy. There hasn’t been an enterprise like this before, and you can’t think about it in traditional releasing terms.”
(L to R) Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and John Lennon in ‘The Beatles: Get Back – The Rooftop Concert.’
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Nykiya Adams about her work on ‘Bird’, her first reaction to the screenplay, her character, her relationship with her father and Bird, working with Barry Keoghan and Franz Rogowski, collaborating with director Andrea Arnold on set, and if she had fun making her first movie.
Nykiya Adams in ‘Bird’. Photo: Atsushi Nishijima.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and how you became involved with this project?
Nykiya Adams: I didn’t know the script, so I think it was more of just a surprise. My mum didn’t tell me anything. She was like, “Nykiya, you’ve got to get this.” So, I was like, “I’ll try my best.” But obviously it’s a wonderful experience and I’d love to do it again.
MF: How would you describe your character in your own words?
NA: She’s a little diva because she doesn’t care what anyone thinks. If she wants to get the something done and no one wants to do it for her, she’ll go get it done herself. I’ll do the same, so Bailey’s just a more extreme version of me. I can relate to Bailey in a lot of ways. I think because she’s going through changes, she thinks she’s growing up, she’s going to be 13 going on 30. But I think near the end of the film, she realizes she’s got to dial down a bit because at the end of the day, she’s not that old. She doesn’t have to grow up quick, and I think she realizes that. She’s a kid and she must let things happen and fall into place. I can relate to her in a lot of ways. She gets very frustrated very fast. She knows how to deal with it, and she knows how to express her emotions.
Barry Keoghan in ‘Bird’. Photo: Robbie Ryan.
MF: Can you talk about her relationship with her father?
KA: It’s like a brother and sister relationship because the way they clash so much and the way they make up is like, “Oh, I hate you, but you’re still family, so I love you.” So, it’s that kind of a crazy experience.
MF: What was it like working with Barry Keoghan?
KA: It was very easy to create the relationship with him because he’s such a big kid. He’s such a lovely person to be around, and he’s so down to earth. Working with him on set, we’d just switch into our characters, bang, and then we just switch out. We’d literally just be laughing the next minute, and he was just so fun to be around.
Franz Rogowski in ‘Bird’. Photo: Robbie Ryan.
MF: Can you talk about what Bailey sees in Bird and their unlikely friendship?
KA: I think she just sees herself in him because of how free he is, and she just wants to be like that. I think she just realizes you must take your time with everything and let everything come to you at once. I think that’s why she can warm up to him so quick, because Bird feels like a safe place for her.
MF: What was it like working with Franz Rogowski to create that relationship?
KA: The friendship was literally, when Bailey was just getting warm to Bird, it was Nykiya getting warm to Franz. So, the first time Bailey met him was the first time I met him, so the reaction was just real.
Franz Rogowski in ‘Bird’. Photo: Atsushi Nishijima.
MF: What was director Andrea Arnold like to collaborate with on set?
KA: She loves nature. I was given an on-set phone, so I’ll just take pictures of nature and everything. You can see that I took some videos, and it’s in the credits. So, it was fun, and the way she works is just so beautiful.
MF: Finally, this is your first movie. Was it fun to make and would you like to make more movies in the future?
KA: Loads of fun. The amount of food I ate, honestly, it’s crazy. Yes, 100%.
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What is the plot of ‘Bird’?
12-year-old Bailey (Nykiya Adams) lives with her single dad Bug (Barry Keoghan) and brother Hunter (Jason Buda) in a squat in North Kent. Bug doesn’t have much time for his kids, and Bailey, who is approaching puberty, seeks attention and adventure elsewhere.
By order of the Peaky Blinders… Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) is back. Production officially starts on the upcoming Netflix film.
Preview:
The first images from the ‘Peaky Blinders’ movie are online.
Cillian Murphy is aboard to star and produce.
Show creator Steven Knight wrote the script and Tom Harper will direct.
It has been quite the wait for ‘Peaky Blinders’ fans eagerly anticipating the movie based on the acclaimed crime drama.
The show aired its final season in 2022 and it wasn’t until this June that a spin-off movie was confirmed.
The wait –– at least for some activity on the film –– is finally over, and the cameras are now rolling on the Netflix-backed movie, which will see the return of Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby, the head of a criminal family.
With show creator Steven Knight writing the script and Tom Harper (who has some experience on the show) directing, the first pictures –– featuring Murphy and Knight –– are now online.
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What’s the story of ‘Peaky Blinders’?
Cillian Murphy in ‘Peaky Blinders’. Photo: Netflix.
The series, which began life on Britain’s BBC Two in 2013, is a crime drama centered on a family of mixed Irish Traveler and Romani origins based in Birmingham, England, starting in 1919, several months after the end of World War I.
It’s named after the Peaky Blinders street gang and their ambitious, cunning crime boss Shelby. The show has since run for six seasons.
Netflix, spotting an opportunity to pick up a well-loved series, snagged the rights in 2014 and it has since gone on to win multiple awards.
In case you’re wondering, the “peaky blinders” referred to the gang’s sartorial efforts. distinctive fashion sense, including colorful clothing and peaked newsboy caps. At the time, “peaky” was a common term for flat caps with a peak, and “blinder” was a Birmingham slang term for someone who looked dapper. In less legal terms, they were also infamous for pulling the brims of their caps down when they attacked someone so as not to be recognized.
What will the ‘Peaky Blinders’ movie be about?
Cillian Murphy in ‘Peaky Blinders’. Photo: Netflix.
When we last saw Tommy Shelby, he had killed off his cousin Michael (Finn Cole) and rode off into the sunset on a white steed after handing the reins of the family business to sister Ada (Sophie Rundle).
Nothing has been officially released about the movie’s plot yet, though Knight has previously suggested that it’ll chronicle the gang’s efforts during World War II.
Who is joining Cillian Murphy in the ‘Peaky Blinders’ movie?
Rebecca Ferguson in ‘Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One’ from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
The rest of the cast is yet to be announced, but there has been plenty of speculation that the likes of Rundle, Paul Anderson, Finn Cole, Natasha O’Keefe, and Harry Kirton, who play members of the Shelby family, could all show up.
(L to R) Cillian Murphy and Steven Knight are reunited on set as production officially starts on the upcoming Netflix film.
Here’s what Steven Knight said about the start of production:
“I’m thrilled to see the cameras rolling on this new chapter of the ‘Peaky Blinders’ story, set during World War II. The country is at war, and so, of course, are our Peaky Blinders.”
And this is director Tom Harper’s statement:
“There’s a great feeling of anticipation and excitement amongst our outstanding cast and crew. We’re grateful to the fans for getting us to this point and believe this next chapter is going to deliver something extraordinary.”
When will the ‘Peaky Blinders’ movie be on screens?
Netflix has yet to confirm either a theatrical release or a launch date for the movie on its servers.
Cillian Murphy in ‘Peaky Blinders’. Photo: Netflix.
Barry Keoghan in ‘Masters of the Air,’ premiering January 26, 2024 on Apple TV+.
Preview:
‘The Banshees of Inisherin’s Barry Keoghan is joining the ‘Peaky Blinders’ movie.
Cillian Murphy is aboard to star in and produce.
Rebecca Ferguson also recently joined the cast list.
With ‘Peaky Blinders’ making the leap from highly successful BBC series to big screen outing thanks to added popularity from its showing on Netflix (which is also backing the film), the cast around star Cillian Murphy is really starting to come together.
We learned back in July that Rebecca Ferguson was the first high-profile performer to join Murphy in the cinematic version, and now we can add Barry Keoghan to the list.
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What’s the story of ‘Peaky Blinders’?
Cillian Murphy in ‘Peaky Blinders’. Photo: Netflix.
The series, which began life on Britain’s BBC Two in 2013, is a crime drama centered on a family of mixed Irish Traveler and Romani origins based in Birmingham, England, starting in 1919, several months after the end of World War I.
It’s named after the Peaky Blinders street gang and their ambitious, cunning crime boss Shelby (Murphy). The show has since run for six seasons.
Netflix, spotting an opportunity to pick up a well-loved series, snagged the rights in 2014 and it has since gone on to win multiple awards.
In case you’re wondering, the “peaky blinders” referred to the gang’s sartorial efforts. distinctive fashion sense, including colorful clothing and peaked newsboy caps. At the time, “peaky” was a common term for flat caps with a peak, and “blinder” was a Birmingham slang term for someone who looked dapper. In less legal terms, they were also infamous for pulling the brims of their caps down when they attacked someone so as not to be recognized.
LzOjflZ71jZowE9lwuI6J1
What will the ‘Peaky Blinders’ movie be about?
Cillian Murphy in ‘Peaky Blinders’. Photo: Netflix.
When we last saw Tommy Shelby, he had killed off his cousin Michael (Finn Cole) and rode off into the sunset on a white steed after handing the reins of the family business to sister Ada (Sophie Rundle).
Nothing has been officially released about the movie’s plot yet, though Knight has previously suggested that it’ll chronicle the gang’s efforts during World War II.
Who else is joining Cillian Murphy in the ‘Peaky Blinders’ movie?
Aside from Ferguson, who would be a new character, there is no official confirmation for anyone besides Murphy.
But there has been plenty of speculation that the likes of Rundle, Paul Anderson, Finn Cole, Natasha O’Keefe, and Harry Kirton, who play members of the Shelby family, could all show up.
Keoghan’s character, like Ferguson’s is, reports Deadline, a mystery. But who wouldn’t want to see him go toe to toe with Murphy as another criminal type?
(L to R) Callum Turner and Austin Butler in ‘Masters of the Air,’ premiering January 26, 2024 on Apple TV+.
Launching on Apple TV+ on January 26th with two episodes (and then one weekly for seven weeks), ‘Masters of the Air’ represents the latest series from executive producers Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, who have seen success with their previous two efforts, ‘The Pacific’ and ‘Band of Brothers’.
But after two primarily land-based series, the team –– which also includes writers John Orloff and Graham Yost and directors Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Dee Rees and Tim Van Patten –– have turned their attention to adapting Donald L. Miller’s non-fiction tome about one of the most famous bombing groups of the war.
Does ‘Masters of the Air’ take flight successfully?
(L to R) Sawyer Spielberg and Austin Butler in ‘Masters of the Air,’ premiering January 26, 2024 on Apple TV+.
Though the past two limited series were on HBO, you probably won’t notice much of a difference given the expansive budget Apple offers its prestige shows. Of course it looks slick and impressive (though the screeners we saw had the occasional odd visual effect that we can chalk up to the show being at an earlier stage of post-production) and the cast is fine blend of young rising stars who commit to their parts.
There will, of course, be comparisons to its forerunners, and while it might not reach the heights of particularly ‘Band of Brothers’, it’s still a solid effort and worth watching if you’re a fan of the previous shows (or have a thing for based-on-truth World War II tales).
Initially there is some concern that the show will fall into repetitive patterns of bombing runs (not that they aren’t tense/thrilling in their own way) but once it opens out the story to chronicle the crews’ downtime and what happens once some of them are shot down over enemy territory. A visit with the Tuskegee airmen feels welcome, if given slightly short shrift.
‘Masters of the Air’: Script and Direction
‘Masters of the Air’ premieres globally January 26, 2024 on Apple TV+.
The team behind the show knows what they’re doing when it comes to this sort of series, the scripts weaving personal stories in with the overarching narrative of the bombing runs and beyond. It takes a little time to truly get off the air, but once the plot truly kicks in, it finds a healthy balance between the various characters (some are more compelling than others).
On the directorial front, the style is very much what we’ve come to expect –– some beauty shots of planes lifting off against sunrises or sunsets, carefully crafted visuals than crawl around the inside of the aircraft and bombing sequences designed to help you feel the pressure the crews are under.
‘Masters of the Air’: Performances
(L to R) Austin Butler and Callum Turner in ‘Masters of the Air,’ premiering January 26, 2024 on Apple TV+.
While the initial focus is on the likes of Austin Butler’s Major Gale ‘Buck’ Cleven, Callum Turner’s Major John ‘Bucky’ Egan and Anthony Boyle’s Major Harry Crosby, the show expands out to follow several other characters who have their own experiences, both good and bad.
Butler, mostly putting ‘Elvis’ in the rearview, is solid as Buck, who guides us through the early bombing runs, takes somewhat of a backseat in the mid-section and then returns to prominence later on. Likewise Turner (having something of a period drama moment between this and ‘The Boys in the Boat’) does good work as Egan, whose war experience takes a seriously dark turn at times.
If there’s a true standout, though, it might be Boyle as Crosby, who evolves from nervy, airsick navigator to a crucial job on the ground planning sorties. It’s his character who narrates the show, and Boyle is excellent, keeping the character believable and watchable.
And the show doesn’t neglect other characters, even though there isn’t the scope to give everyone as rounded a story as the main trio. Ncuti Gatwa (who just took over the lead role in ‘Doctor Who’ after years stealing scenes in ‘Sex Education’) is typically great here as 2nd Lieutenant. Robert H. Daniels, shining in a relatively smaller role.
Ncuti Gatwa in ‘Masters of the Air,’ premiering January 26, 2024 on Apple TV+.
There are also the more established likes of Oscar nominee Barry Keoghan as Lieutenant Curtis Biddick, a charming sort whose love of a good time on the ground is matched by his skill in the air. Keoghan is, as we’ve come to expect, excellent.
As is natural in a story like this, female roles tend to take a backseat, though there is particularly sterling work from Bel Powley as British officer Alexandra Wingate, who becomes involved with one of the characters. Powley is charm incarnate, coloring far outside the lines of a character who has more limited screentime.
As you might expect, you shouldn’t get too attached to every character; this is war and not everyone makes it out alive (as those who have read the book will know). But the well-rounded cast means you’ll care about every flyer and more, no matter their fate.
‘Masters of the Air’: Final Thoughts
Barry Keoghan in ‘Masters of the Air,’ premiering January 26, 2024 on Apple TV+.
It could have been a glossy, factory-tooled re-run of its predecessors, but the ‘Masters’ team has taken the care and time to make sure that while the series carries the hallmarks of what has gone before, it also feels like its own thing.
It’s a fairly straightforward account of wartime heroism which won’t appeal to everyone, but for those who enjoy such chronicles, it’ll certainly fly.
‘Masters of the Air’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
Austin Butler and Callum Turner in ‘Masters of the Air,’ premiering January 26, 2024 on Apple TV+.
What’s the story of ‘Masters of the Air’?
Based on Donald L. Miller’s book of the same name, and scripted by John Orloff, ‘Masters of the Air’ follows the men of the 100th Bomb Group (the “Bloody Hundredth”) as they conduct perilous bombing raids over Nazi Germany and grapple with the frigid conditions, lack of oxygen and sheer terror of combat conducted at 25,000 feet in the air.
Some were shot down and captured; some were wounded or killed. And some were lucky enough to make it home. Regardless of individual fate, a toll was exacted on them all.
After making a striking feature debut in 2020 with ‘Promising Young Woman,’ a bracing if sometimes heavy-handed stew of revenge thriller, psychological drama, black comedy, and feminist messaging, writer-director Emerald Fennell returns with ‘Saltburn.’ Like her first, ‘Saltburn’ is a hybrid of several genres, including satire, mystery, erotic thriller, and class-based drama. While it may not offer anything substantially new beyond its gorgeous visuals and pulsing rhythms, it will lock you into its spell thanks to its sharp tone and a sumptuous cast, with Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, and Carey Mulligan all at the top of their game.
Story and Direction
(L to R) Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick and Archie Madekwe as Farleigh in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
As ‘Saltburn’ begins, we meet Oliver Quick (Keoghan), a lonely, awkward, and clearly fashion-deficient new student at Oxford who yearns to somehow integrate himself with the cool kids, and become friends – and perhaps more – with their leader, the effortlessly charismatic, beautiful, and privileged Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi). Circumstances provide Oliver with just that opportunity, and soon he and Felix do indeed become friends – despite the misgivings of fellow student and Felix’s cousin Farleigh (Archie Madekwe).
Seemingly genuinely empathetic toward Oliver and the tragic family life he shares, Felix invites the young man to spend the summer with him and his family at their palatial estate, Saltburn. Once there, Oliver meets Felix’s imperious yet insipid mother Elspeth (Pike), who runs the household with an iron fist yet revels in memories of her days as a model and A-lister. Also there is Felix’s permanently distracted, one-sandwich-short-a-picnic father James (Grant), his sexually available yet troubled sister Venetia (Oliver), Farleigh, and a dissolute family friend known as Poor Dear Pamela (Carey Mulligan).
The brooding, maze-like house (complete with massive hedge maze out back), its sinister head of staff Duncan (Paul Rhys), the ever-present servants, and the play of light and shadow throughout Saltburn’s mahogany-walled corridors provide a classic archetype of the British country estate, almost always with a secret or five hidden within its overbearing walls. Fennell sets up a somewhat standard class conflict, with the Cattons – who never want for anything but are all damaged and oblivious in their own ways – eager to put a little charge into their own semi-vacant lives by bestowing luxury and decadence upon Oliver. Yet they never realize how condescending and dismissive they are (“She’d do anything for attention,” sniffs Elspeth upon learning of a friend’s suicide), and even the kind-hearted Felix can turn on a dime from compassionate to selfish.
Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
Yet, as one might suspect fairly early on, things aren’t quite what they seem at Saltburn, and the story takes some twists and turns in its second half that are best left undiscussed here. With a bacchanalian birthday party for Oliver at the center of the action, events take a darker turn that may be somewhat predictable from the start – think ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ and another Keoghan starrer, ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer’ — but are nonetheless compelling to watch thanks to Fennell’s expert direction and her brilliant cast.
The third act of ‘Saltburn’ is where Fennell might lose some viewers, as certain reveals are telegraphed pretty clearly, a few plot points stretch credibility, and most importantly, the movie struggles with its point of view. While ‘Saltburn’ may for most of its running time seem to be a scathing indictment of lifestyles of the rich and not-really-famous, its concluding scenes are far more ambivalent about who we’re empathizing with.
(L to R) Jacob Elordi as Felix Catton in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
The casting for ‘Saltburn’ is superb up and down the board, starting with lead actor Barry Keoghan. The Irish actor is known for his breakout role in ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer,’ as well as his Oscar-nominated turn in ‘The Banshees of Inisherin,’ his role as Druig in Marvel’s ‘Eternals,’ and his eerie cameo as the Joker in ‘The Batman.’
In his first major lead, Keoghan is nothing short of riveting. His Oliver Quick is enigmatic, unsettling, and off-putting in an amorphous way, and Keoghan – who takes several bold, big swings throughout the film – keeps the audience off balance for most of the movie. Even when you have his number, the actor is so magnetic to watch that you don’t take your eyes off him.
Equally fantastic is Rosamund Pike, who continues the red-hot career streak that started in 2014 with ‘Gone Girl,’ and has encompassed films like ‘Hostiles’ and ‘I Care a Lot.’ Her Elspeth is perfectly repulsive yet hilarious, spewing out inappropriate opinions no one asked for (“I have a complete and utter horror of ugliness ever since I was very young”), vain enough to think that she singlehandedly inspired an entire British music scene, and making sure that lunch is served on time even in the wake of tragedy. Elspeth is a monster, and Pike plays her with an exquisite, complete lack of self-awareness.
Beyond Keoghan and Pike, Jacob Elordi’s Felix continues the Australian actor’s terrific year after his outstanding work as Elvis Presley in ‘Priscilla,’ both performances fueled by his physical presence and formidable good looks but utterly different in their emotional tone. Richard E. Grant is reliably amusing as always, and ‘Promising Young Woman’ star Carey Mulligan has a brief, darkly hilarious turn as Poor Dear Pamela, an utterly lost soul who manages to maintain her own distinct fashion sense.
Production Design, Editing and Music
‘Saltburn’ opens in theaters on November 22nd. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
‘Saltburn’ is a gorgeous film, from the beautiful young bodies on display both at Oxford and the Catton family home to the latter itself, an ostentatious, labyrinthine monster of a house that can blaze with sensual color or plunge into claustrophobic shadows within the space of one vast room.
There is a hedge maze that can put that of the Overlook Hotel to shame, sprawling fields and lawns where one might stumble across a nude sunbather, and other surprises all brought to vivid life by production designer Suzie Davies and cinematographer Linus Sandgren, who make ‘Saltburn’ into a decadent visual meal. They are aided and abetted by costume designer Sophie Canale, whose work here ranges from Oliver’s initially drab study hall duds to Elspeth’s shimmering, slinky dresses and Venetia’s seductive see-through nightwear.
All this is tied together and seamlessly paraded before the viewer’s eyes by the sure hand of editor Victoria Boydell, who works with Fennell to give Saltburn both a languid, lazy pace of life in some scenes and an urgent, throbbing rhythm in others, especially the centerpiece of Oliver’s birthday party.
The film’s music is key as well, with Anthony Willis’ sultry score pulsating along to the same rhythms as the film and highlighting the story’s complex psychological and sexual dynamics. Complementing Willis’ work is a series of tight needle drops from the mid-2000s (in which the film is set), including cuts from Bloc Party, MGMT, the Killers, and for the jaw-dropping final scene, Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s “Murder on the Dancefloor.”
Is ’Saltburn’ An Oscar Contender?
Rosamund Pike as Lady Elsbeth Catton in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
Emerald Fennell won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for ‘Promising Young Woman,’ which was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Editing. While ‘Saltburn’ may not rise to the level of Best Picture, and Fennell won’t make the cut in what looks like an already mostly locked Best Director race, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor (for Barry Keoghan), and either Best Actress or Best Supporting Actress for Rosamund Pike seem like possible nods for the film.
Keoghan delivers a tour de force, as we mentioned above, and Pike is equally sensational, but with less screen time we might see her compete for Best Supporting instead. ‘Saltburn’ should easily compete in the categories for Production Design, Costume Design, and Editing as well, and may score a few wins in those fields even if it doesn’t land any of the bigger trophies of the night – unless the raunchier aspects of the film turn off some of the more staid Academy voters altogether.
Final Thoughts
Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
Yes, it’s derivative of other films and arguably not as clever or surprising as it thinks it is, but we had a blast watching ‘Saltburn’ nonetheless. As we said earlier, it’s sumptuous to look at, backed with great music, and features one of the best ensemble casts we’ve seen in a film this year – with Barry Keoghan once again proving himself to be one of the finest rising young actors of his generation. The movie may not be especially shocking (well, maybe a little) but it’s certainly perverse in a gleeful way, and Emerald Fennell manages to keeps us entertained and even a bit titillated for two hours.
‘Saltburn’ receives 8 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘Saltburn’?
Lonely new Oxford student Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan), desperate to make friends, is drawn into the social circle of popular, rich, and powerfully attractive Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi). When Felix invites Oliver to spend the summer at Saltburn, the Catton family’s country estate, Oliver finds himself in the midst of a truly eccentric family whose wealth and privilege mask the emptiness of their existence – until Oliver is added into the mix.
Who is in the cast of ‘Saltburn’?
Barry Keoghan (‘The Banshees of Inisherin’) as Oliver Quick
Oliver manages to work his way into Felix’s good graces – and empathy – and wins himself an invite to spend the summer at Felix’s family estate, Saltburn. There, Oliver meets Felix’s imperious mother Elspeth (Rosamund Pike), absent-minded father James (Richard E. Grant), and troubled yet sexually available sister Venetia (Alison Oliver).
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of attending a virtual press conference for ‘Saltburn.’ Taking part in the two-part Q&A were star Rosamund Pike, writer-director Emerald Fennell, and producer Josey McNamara.
Here are 10 things we learned from the ‘Saltburn’ virtual press conference, edited for clarity and length.
1) Emerald Fennell First Came Up with the Character of Oliver Quick Years Ago
(Center) Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
The film’s ostensible protagonist, Oliver Quick, is a slippery persona to grab hold of. He’s awkward and lonely yet also much more manipulative than he first lets on. He’s also a working-class bloke who is exposed to an entirely different way of life at Saltburn, and that almost certainly has an effect on him. In some ways, according to Fennell, he’s the audience.
Emerald Fennell: Oliver feels incredibly relatable to me. He kind of announced himself about seven or eight years ago, kind of persistently. He’s sort of an imaginary friend. He was just there all the time, and I couldn’t get him out of my head. It’s no accident to me, I think, that I finished writing this during COVID, because if Oliver’s anything, as well as being the person he is, this is a film about looking constantly and not being able to touch, and what it does to you if you’re not allowed to touch the thing you want to touch. We were living in a world where we could only look at each other through screens, that we were constantly voyeuristic, that we were absorbing things that couldn’t see us back. So I think that for me, Oliver seems to be all of us, really. Yes, he’s an outsider. Yes, he’s a person driven by love and desire and all of those things. But he’s also trying to scratch an itch that just cannot be sated. It can’t be scratched. So what do you do? You scratch your skin till you get down to the bone. You do it till it hurts.
2) Barry Keoghan Was Willing to Go to Any Lengths
Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
From ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer’ to ‘The Banshees of Inisherin,’ not to mention his eerie cameo as a certain Clown Prince of Crime in ‘The Batman,’ Barry Keoghan has taken on a slew of provocative roles in his still-young career. But his first lead, in ‘Saltburn,’ may be his boldest performance yet.
Emerald Fennell: [Barry] is a force of nature. Barry is like lightning in a bottle. It’s a very unique and specific talent that he has. The thing that you’re always looking for is that element of surprise. The texture of a performance as much as the texture of, you know, the couch they’re sitting on. That is something that is really important, and what I love is things and people that go against the grain. That’s what Barry does. We as humans are not consistent characters. We have our own idiosyncrasies. We respond to things surprisingly. We are turned on by the things that we don’t like, and we’re disgusted by the things we should [like]. That’s this movie, and that’s what Barry does.
Rosamund Pike: Barry’s a maverick. He has so many different temperatures. And you never quite know what you’re going to get.
3) About Barry’s Nude Dance Scene…
Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
We won’t give away too much to avoid spoilers, but Barry Keoghan does a nude dance through Saltburn to the tune of Sophie Ellis-Bextor‘s ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ that is a guaranteed showstopper (and jaw-dropper).
Emerald Fennell: The scene was always from the beginning going to be a complicated, technical, and precise thing, because it’s the inverse of Felix’s tour at the beginning. So technically, it was always going to be precise. And it’s absolutely about making sure that somebody feels safe and relaxed and all of that sort of thing. We had Polly Bennett, who is an unbelievably talented choreographer. She does a lot of movement as well as dance — she did ‘Elvis‘ and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody‘ and ‘The Crown,’ all those sorts of things. What I was really looking for was something that felt spontaneous, that felt loose enough that it was a kind of burst of evil joy that we could really relate to, but that also had enough kind of precision that it just didn’t feel messy. And the thing with Barry, again, that is so wonderful is that when he gets it, he gets it. When you say to him, “I don’t think the end can be a naked walk through the house, I think it needs to be a dance to Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s ‘Murder on the Dancefloor,’” Barry just says, “Yeah.”
4) Carey Mulligan Insisted on Playing Poor Dear Pamela Even Though She’s Only in Three Scenes
(L to R) Carey Mulligan, Emerald Fennell, and Laverne Cox on the set of ‘Promising Young Woman.’
After giving a bravura, Oscar-nominated performance as the lead of Fennell’s first film, ‘Promising Young Woman,’ Carey Mulligan collaborates with the director again for ‘Saltburn,’ this time in the relatively small role of Poor Dear Pamela, a dissolute friend of the Cattons who’s staying at Saltburn while she tries to put her life back together.
Emerald Fennell: She’s an extraordinary person and the most gifted actress. I sent her the script just as my friend, you know, once it was finished. I wanted to talk to her about it. She immediately called me up and said, “I have to be Poor Dear Pamela.” I was like, “You’re only in three scenes.” She was like, “I don’t care.” You know, the thing is, you have a shorthand. You have the trust built in. Then the thing about Carey, the thing about Poor Dear Pamela is she’s an unbelievably important character in this film because she could so easily be an object of derision. She’s treated so abominably. She’s the person who knows she’s outstayed her welcome and has nowhere to go, so has to suffer the indignity of their derision every day. Carey is so gifted as a comic actress, it is such a genius comic performance, but it is also one of the most devastating, kind of poignant ones. She’s the human collateral, I think, of this family.
Carey Mulligan in ‘Promising Young Woman’
Josey McNamara: She is incredibly gifted comedically, which I don’t think she gets credit for enough, and willing to go and to be transformative as well. I think with this role, it’s such a small amount of time that we had her, but she threw herself into it in terms of how she changed her appearance and the little details with the tattoos and all the different things she brought to it. She really wanted to kind of push outside of the box with it.
5) ‘Saltburn’ Was the First Film Allowed to Shoot at the Real British Estate That Fennell Discovered
‘Saltburn’ opens in theaters on November 22nd. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.
Although the filmmakers are not allowed to identify the location by name, ‘Saltburn’ was shot primarily at Drayton House, a vast country estate in the East Midlands of England. Constructed in the early 14th century, the house has been owned by the same family for generations. Nothing had ever been filmed there before, which made it perfect for Saltburn.
Josey McNamara: The house is actually the first thing that Emerald and I spoke about, I think, after I read the script. We had the conversation about how important it was we find somewhere that had never been seen before and that would feel original to people and fresh. It was also incredibly important that we had somewhere that we could organically move throughout so we had a fluidity to the way we could shoot the movie. I think Emerald was the one who actually managed to kind of find the house and have all the original conversations, so thank God she managed to do that. I think it really allowed us to embed ourselves with the family, have everyone set themselves up in their characters, and also for the crew to kind of grow with the movie as well and everyone to get to know each other. It allowed us to shoot things in as much story order as possible so people could kind of grow into their characters, grow into the feeling of the movie. It allowed us to feel where the tension was in the movie and adjust and react. We got incredibly lucky with the family who owned the house, and they were really phenomenal with us and became a part of the crew themselves.
‘Saltburn’ opens in theaters on November 22nd. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
Rosamund Pike: I had opted to stay in the house itself, and I thought, oh, have I made a terrible mistake? Just like that line in the movie, ‘many people get lost in Saltburn.’ I was like, I’m never leaving, because the grounds are huge and I don’t have a car. I’m stuck here.’ It was kind of mad and intense. But it was a wonderful decision because the family were so generous. I had a bedroom in the house [but] I never saw all the rooms in the house. I mean, there were whole staircases I never even entered upon. Whatever you’re picturing as to the scale of this house, just quadruple it.
6) Margot Robbie is Not Just a Producer on the Film, But Was a Driving Force Behind It
Actor/Producer Margot Robbie attends the ‘Barbie’ Press Junket Photo Call at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. Photo by Eric Charbonneau.
Actors get producing credits on films all the time. But in the case of ‘Saltburn,’ ‘Barbie’ superstar Margot Robbie, her husband, Tom Ackerley, and Josey McNamara produced the movie through their LuckyChap company, and Robbie was very much involved in its creation.
Emerald Fennell: She’s the greatest ever. She’s exceptional. The company that she runs with these guys is unbelievable. She produced ‘Promising Young Woman’ as well as ‘Saltburn.’ I really honestly never want to work with anyone else. Josey, Margot, Tom, they’re all incredible. What’s so remarkable about what she does and what they’re doing is that they have proved, this year more than any, that subversive, smart, complicated, difficult movies can make a serious amount of money, and can be hugely popular. Everyone said, for example, that ‘Barbie’ was unmakeable. ‘Promising Young Woman,’ lots of people wanted to change it, make it more palatable, make it more marketable, or what they perceived would be those things, and Margot and Josey and LuckyChap said absolutely not. They’re resolute. They know what they’re doing. She’s a powerhouse. She’ll take over. They’ll take over, and then they’ll dance on the embers of Hollywood and build it into a nice, beautiful, pink palace. You can count on it.
7) Rosamund Pike Prepared for Her Role by Reading Magazines From 2007
Rosamund Pike as Lady Elsbeth Catton in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
Rosamund Pike says she’s met people like Elspeth and prepared for the role by immersing herself in the kinds of things that the matriarch of Saltburn would do.
Rosamund Pike: My research for this role was quite intense. Because Elspeth does absolutely nothing. So it was very important for me to clear my decks. Go on vacation, sit by a pool, decide what swimsuit to wear, order a few cocktails, and order some magazines on eBay from 2007 — it’s not that easy — and read them. As Elspeth, think about all the people who are in the magazines who weren’t her. Because her vanity knows no bounds. That was preparation. I definitely have [met people like Elspeth] — growing up in the UK, and at various times being in those sort of milieus — people who’ve made me uncomfortable [laugh]. For all those times when I’ve been made to feel uncomfortable, it was a kind of payback. You know, the people who you don’t quite know what you’ve done wrong, but you know that there’s something about you that doesn’t fit…I’ve been around it. All the bizarre ways in which the English have this codified social behavior, and nobody tells you what the code is. You certainly know when you break a rule, but you don’t quite know what it is.
8) Emerald Fennell Insisted That the Cast Hang Out Together
(L to R) Alison Oliver as Venetia Catton, Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick and Jacob Elordi as Felix Catton in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
Much of the time on a movie, the cast members will scatter to their dressing rooms or trailers in between takes or setups. But with the ‘Saltburn’ cast members all supposed to be family (or their inner circle), Emerald Fennell wanted them to spend as much time together as possible.
Rosamund Pike: One thing is that Emerald insists that nobody goes off set into their own kind of world while we’re shooting. You know, there’s no kind of retreating to a trailer or a dressing room or something. She wants everybody to hang out in the same space. So, we had a kind of sitting room in the house that was our green room. And everybody was there. Everybody. From the family to the guys playing the footmen, and Paul Rhys playing the butler, Duncan. So I think that’s one thing. We laughed a lot. We just laughed. We played games, played cards, and played kind of silly word games. My children were around, which is a great icebreaker for everybody. They played with everybody. Just having children on set takes your mind off things. There was a very familial atmosphere. It’s this curious thing where you’re comfortable, and companionable, and very at ease in one another’s company. But nobody really knows how one another is feeling. It’s a very odd thing in these families. The same is when we did sort of, like, little montage things of all of us one evening just watching ‘The Ring.’ They put ‘The Ring’ on the telly, and that was it. We just sat and watched ‘The Ring’…we kept having these things to do as a family that sort of brought us together.
9) The Party Scene Got Very Intense
‘Saltburn’ opens in theaters on November 22nd. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
The centerpiece of the film’s second half is a costumed birthday party that the Cattons throw for Oliver at Saltburn, a huge bash that gets quite debauched. Apparently it got a little bit that way in real life as well.
Rosamund Pike: The party was so extreme. I mean, even the extras, you know, started hooking up with each other. It was that kind of environment where you felt like anything could happen, and you almost forget you were making a film. It felt that you were at a kind of three-day festival or something. To the point where, I had finished my role because Elspeth was sort of retiring to bed. Then I went back to the place we had for hair and makeup, and I saw this enormous, feathered headdress on the wall. I said, “You know what? I don’t think Elspeth would go to bed. I think she’d put that headdress on, put her dressing gown on, and go back to the party.” So, that’s what I did. [laugh] There’s this shot where they’re dancing to techno later in the night, and you just see this kind of feathered headdress and these sunglasses, and that’s Elspeth up by the DJ probably, you know? I just felt that’s what she’d do.
10) Jacob Elordi Blew Away Both Rosamund Pike and Emerald Fennell
(L to R) Jacob Elordi as Felix Catton in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
‘Euphoria’ star Jacob Elordi is having one hell of a year: he’s not only garnering raves for his portrayal of Elvis Presley in Sofia Coppola’s ‘Priscilla,’ but the young Australian nails the pivotal role of Felix Catton in ‘Saltburn.’
Emerald Fennell: He’s absolutely amazing. In many ways, Felix is the hardest part in this movie because he’s sort of the emotional center. He’s put immediately on a pedestal by not just Oliver, but the film, so it was about finding someone who had this unbelievably magnetic charm and charisma, but who was also sort of a gifted actor who understood that this person is still a person, still just a guy. That is profoundly what Jacob did. He came in and he gave this performance for his screen test, and it was exactly what I was looking for, which was that he was kind of mortal. He looked like a god, but he’s mortal.
(L to R) Jacob Elordi as Felix Catton in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
Rosamund Pike: Emerald had said that she’d cast this incredibly handsome Australian. I thought, “Well, how’s that going to work?” Then she said, “No, no. He came in and he read, and it just blew us all away.” I still thought, “Yeah, but how is he going to capture the specificity of this English public school boy?” Then I was in L.A., and I met him, and we went for lunch. I was kind of oblivious to quite what a massive star he is. So, of course, poor guy, we were constantly besieged by people coming up to talk to him. He was very gracious and kind. But I realized in that meeting that he’s the real deal. That he’s a proper actor who puts the work in… what he does in the film, for me, is totally astonishing. He gets it pitch perfect.
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What is the plot of ‘Saltburn’?
Lonely new Oxford student Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan), desperate to make friends, is drawn into the social circle of popular, rich, and powerfully attractive Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi). When Felix invites Oliver to spend the summer at Saltburn, the Catton family’s country estate, Oliver finds himself in the midst of a truly eccentric family whose wealth and privilege mask the emptiness of their existence – until Oliver is added into the mix.
Who is in the cast of ‘Saltburn’?
Barry Keoghan (‘The Banshees of Inisherin’) as Oliver Quick
(L to R) Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick, Jacob Elordi as Felix Catton and Alison Oliver as Venetia Catton in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
