(L to R) Paul Mescal is Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson is John Lennon, Joseph Quinn is George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan is Ringo Starr in ‘The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
Preview:
The first official pictures of leads Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan, Joseph Quinn and Harris Dickinson as the Beatles are online.
Sam Mendes is busy making linked movies under the banner The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event.
The movies will be released in 2028.
The cameras have already been rolling on Sam Mendes’ ambitious aim to chronicle a particular period in the life of musical sensations The Beatles, known as ‘The Beatles — A Four-Film Cinematic Event.’
Paul Mescal is Paul McCartney in ‘The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
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.
Harris Dickinson is John Lennon in ‘The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
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?
Barry Keoghan is Ringo Starr in ‘The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
The current plan is for all four movies to land in April 2028.
Joseph Quinn is George Harrison in ‘The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event’. Photo: Sony Pictures.‘The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event’, directed by Sam Mendes. (L to R) Harris Dickinson (John Lennon), Paul Mescal (Paul McCartney), Barry Keoghan (Ringo Starr), and Joseph Quinn (George Harrison). In theaters April 2028. Photo by: John Russo.
(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.
With Daniel Craig stepping away and Amazon MGM Studios taking over the franchise, finding a new James Bond is crucial to the series’ success.
Amazon supposedly has a wish list of actors, while other names have also been cropping up – sometimes for years.
Only six actors have officially played Bond in more than 60 years.
Who should be the next actor to don the mantle of James Bond, agent 007 of the British Secret Service? That question has vexed filmmakers since the franchise first launched in 1962, when then-superstars like Cary Grant and Richard Burton were bypassed in favor of a little-known Scottish actor named Sean Connery. In the 60-plus years since ‘Dr. No’ introduced Bond to audiences, six actors (seven, if you include David Niven in the non-canonical 1967 Bond spoof, ‘Casino Royale’) have worn the tuxedo, with a mix of established stars and relative unknowns taking on the role for stints varying from one film (George Lazenby) to seven (Roger Moore).
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Some Bonds, of course, have been more successful than others, but the venerable franchise faces a challenge on two fronts now: first, the property has changed hands for the first time in decades, with the Broccoli family’s Eon Productions – which has been behind every Bond film to date – ceding control to Amazon MGM Studios. Second, the next Bond actor will follow the five-film run of Daniel Craig, which yielded one of the franchise’s all-time best films (2006’s ‘Casino Royale’) as well as its highest-grossing (2012’s billion-earning ‘Skyfall’).
But there’s more to it than that. The next Bond, whoever he is – and all kinds of potential names have been circulating for years – has to find just the right balance of qualities. He should be young enough (early 30s) to have cross-generational appeal, but not too young that he seems to lack experience; he should be as quick with his gun as he is with a quip or double-entendre; he needs to portray both the ruthless brutality of a top-notch assassin and the vulnerability of a lonely, haunted man; and he must be both physically imposing and sexually alluring.
Not such a tall order, right? There’s no question that director Denis Villeneuve and producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman have their work cut out for them. So let’s take a quick scan of the names that are out there now – and analyze whether any of them are destined to become the next James Bond.
Let’s start with the actors who won’t be Bond. The irony is that all of them were mooted for the role at one point or another, but time has frankly passed them by. That short list includes Henry Cavill, a fan favorite who auditioned for the role at age 22 but lost to Daniel Craig. At 42, he’s the same age as Pierce Brosnan when the latter got the part, and three years younger than Roger Moore. But Cavill is also far too recognizable from playing Superman in the DC Extended Universe and the title role in ‘The Witcher’ TV series.
Also, outside of his stints as Kal-El, Cavill is not a box office draw. That in itself means nothing, especially if the producers go with a smaller name – but Cavill has been on screens long enough to prove that he lacks a certain quality that audiences flock to see.
Tom Hardy, likewise, has been in hits such as ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ and the ‘Venom’ trilogy, but has had an erratic box office run outside of those. At age 47, he’s also pretty much aged out of the role already. The same goes for 52-year-old Idris Elba, a popular choice for a long time who was reportedly reluctant to consider the role because he worried whether audiences would accept a Bond of color. Of the three, he probably would have been the most formidable choice.
The Amazon MGM List
Tom Holland arrives on the red carpet of The 90th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, March 4, 2018. Credit/Provider: Paul Hebert / A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: A.M.P.A.S.
Variety reported in June 2025 than Amazon MGM was interested in casting an actor under 30 as Bond. The studio’s wish list featured three actors: Tom Holland, Harris Dickinson, and Jacob Elordi — all decent-to-good actors still exploring their potential, but not necessarily able to nail the role of Bond.
Let’s dismiss Holland right off the bat. Fair or not, he’s a relatively small fellow with a baby face that will simply not suit Bond. Not only that, his global fame all stems from his portrayal of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in six Marvel films, with at least two more to go. Holland is simply too youthful and too associated with the web-slinger to step into 007’s shoes.
At 28, the Australian Elordi (the person playing Bond, by the way, can be British, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, or Australian – but not American) is probably the best all-around actor and may have just enough gravitas (and height) to evolve with the role. Dickinson, meanwhile, showed psychological and sexual intensity in ‘Babygirl’ and a rough physicality in ‘The Iron Claw,’ but like most of the actors attached to the role, would still have to bulk his slender frame up a bit.
When you get past names like Holland, Cavill, and Elordi, there is a whole crop of relatively young U.K. actors who, for the most part, are relatively obscure outside their home turf even if they’ve done some movie and TV work in Hollywood. Leading that pack is Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who’s been bandied about as a frontrunner for 007 for the past couple of years but remains fairly low-key with the public despite roles in high-profile films like ‘Nosferatu’ and ‘28 Years Later.’ Taylor-Johnson is a good actor, but he’s missing something – a certain magnetism – that makes us reluctant to consider him for Bond.
Theo James is another British actor who has scored some impressive credentials – most recently, he starred in the TV version of ‘The Gentlemen,’ Season 2 of ‘The White Lotus’ and the Stephen King film ‘The Monkey’ – but at 40 may be at the tipping point to play 007. Will Poulter, meanwhile, has shown physical prowess in the recent ‘Warfare’ and as Adam Warlock in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,’ and can be quite menacing (he’s frightening as a sadistic cop in ‘Detroit’), but may lack the sexual spark necessary to attract female audiences.
Jack Lowden in ‘Slow Horses’ season 3 premiering November 29, 2023 on Apple TV+.
One interesting candidate whose name has surfaced again and again is Scottish thespian Jack Lowden – at 35, he’s the right age, he has rugged good looks along with experience in physical action roles, and his resume (which also includes extensive stage work) ranges from high-level productions like the BBC’s 2016 version of ‘War and Peace’ to the acclaimed Apple TV+ series ‘Slow Horses,’ in which he plays – in an eerie coincidence – an MI5 agent.
Do any of these – or even the other candidates above – scream ‘James Bond’ at us? Not necessarily. But actors are capable of transforming themselves in ways that we ordinary folks can’t often imagine, and one of the above – if not someone yet unrevealed to us – will certainly emerge from that process as the next Bond…James Bond.
Sean Connery as James Bond in 1964’s ‘Goldfinger’. Photo: United Artists.
(L to R) Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson in ‘Babygirl’. Photo: A24.
Back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, directors like Paul Verhoeven and Adrian Lyne brought the genre that came to be known as the “erotic thriller” to the forefront of popular cinema. Not surprisingly, films like ‘Basic Instinct,’ ‘Indecent Proposal,’ and ‘Fatal Attraction’ were also largely written by men and filtered through a male gaze, with the women in the movies perceived as either threats or lacking real agency.
‘Babygirl’ turns that around. Director and writer Halina Reijn (‘Bodies Bodies Bodies’) takes one of the more shopworn tropes of the genre, which could easily be spat out as a conventional, generic thriller, and flips it on its head, aided by a tremendous, raw performance from Nicole Kidman. ‘Babygirl’ isn’t without its flaws, but it’s a movie that will trigger discussion on a deeper level that some of those old chestnuts from three or more decades back.
Story and Direction
(L to R) Director Halina Reijn and Nicole Kidman in ‘Babygirl’. Photo: A24.
Romy Mathis (Nicole Kidman) is the successful CEO of a New York-based company that specializes in automated warehouse solutions. She lives in a luxurious apartment (and summer home) with her husband Jacob (Antonio Banderas), a theatre director, and their two daughters. On the surface, she’s an attentive mother, a loving wife, a focused and laser-sharp chief executive. Her life is controlled and scheduled to the minute. Except – she can’t reach orgasm with her husband. After they make love, she usually retreats to her office and pulls up some porn on her laptop to help get her across the finish line.
So when a new, much younger, and rather cocky intern named Samuel (Harris Dickinson) starts at the company and begins to rather aggressively flirt with her, Romy is drawn toward him despite all the flashing red warning lights. And when they finally consummate their relationship, it turns out that Romy harbors secret desires to be utterly submissive – a direct response to the steely control she wields over every other part of her life. It seems Samuel wants to both please and dominate her – although his exact motivations are vague and his intrusion into other parts of her life threatens to bring their affair fully to light.
Harris Dickinson in ‘Babygirl’. Photo: A24.
While that plot sounds like it could be lifted from plenty of other movies, Reijn takes it in a different direction: the danger inherent in the situation, and the sexual dynamic between Romy and Samuel, rather perversely unlocks her as a human being in ways she’s never experienced before. The loss of control – both physically when they get together and psychologically as the whole scenario legitimately hurtles her carefully structured life toward collapse – is what awakens a new kind of strength in Romy.
This is interesting, provocative material that upends the way in which these types of stories play out, and Reijn’s steady, uncluttered direction maintains both a level of tension (at least for the first two acts) and a surprising balance of tones as the story veers from romance to eroticism to suspense to even comedy. There’s also no judgment whatsoever of Romy’s needs. On the other hand, there’s a repetitive nature to the script – particularly in its latter stages – and a rather rushed-seeming resolution to the story that dilutes its impact. Romy’s journey seems to come to an abrupt conclusion that wraps up several of the story’s major issues – including a subplot involving corporate culture that seems a bit undercooked – while leaving their ramifications unaddressed.
The Cast
(L to R) Antonio Banderas and Nicole Kidman in ‘Babygirl’. Photo: A24.
Although the ultimate aftermath of Romy’s dilemma may not equal the stakes that are raised, there’s no doubting Nicole Kidman’s performance here. She exposes herself not so much physically as emotionally and psychologically, and she’s masterful at communicating both Romy’s surprise and eventual pleasure in what transpires between her and Samuel. Our only problem with all this is that there’s still a bit of a remove that stays with Kidman despite the fact that she pushes herself into difficult territory; the actor’s own personal image is so carefully sculpted and controlled that some of that still bleeds into her work here – even when Romy is fully letting go.
Even so, it’s a great performance that’s matched by Harris Dickinson (‘Triangle of Sadness’) as Samuel, a volatile mix of not-quite-toxic masculinity and in-touch-with-his-feelings manhood who discovers just what buttons in Romy to push. He’s decidedly manipulative as well, and even what little of his own story comes to light could well be a fiction he creates. He’s the Joker to Romy’s Dark Knight, if you will, and Dickinson effectively conveys the persona of an intelligent chaos agent who might just be the ultimate tech-bro CEO someday.
The third part of this triangle is Antonio Banderas, playing against his own usually sexy image as Romy’s loving, attentive but in some ways sedate husband, Jacob. At first blissfully unaware of the conflicts roiling within his wife, his eventual response to what he discovers about her goes against the grain as well, giving the performance unexpected nuance.
Final Thoughts
Nicole Kidman in ‘Babygirl’. Photo: A24.
There have been a number of films lately that explore human sexuality and female agency against various sociological backdrops – ‘Anora’ shows us the grittiness of life as a sex worker and how that life can be tossed aside by the wealthy like a broken toy, while ‘Nightbitch’ puts us into the mind of a creative woman desperate to reclaim her identity as she plays the role of suburban mom.
‘Babygirl’ explores the corridors of corporate power and how unbridled lust can fracture the carefully laid plans of anyone. It isn’t entirely successful at what it attempts, but the film’s ambition to take the erotic thriller genre and turn it inside out – taking the agency out of the male hands and placing it firmly in the woman’s – combines with the great work from Kidman and Dickinson to make this a fascinating if uneven film.
‘Babygirl’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘Babygirl’?
A high-powered CEO (Nicole Kidman) begins a torrid affair with a new, much younger intern (Harris Dickinson) at her company, putting her marriage, her family, and her career at risk.
(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.’
(L to R) Elliott Heffernan and Saoirse Ronan in ‘Blitz,’ now in theaters and premiering globally on Apple TV+ on November 22.
Opening in theaters on November 1st ahead of a November 22nd arrival on Apple TV+, ‘Blitz’ is British Steve McQueen telling a much more basic story than we’re used to, but one that still finds time for dealing with race relations and class structure in World War II Britain.
What it lacks in real revelation about the time is made up for by excellent performances from Saoirse Ronan and particularly Elliott Heffernan.
(L to R) Erin Kellyman and Haley Squires in ‘Blitz,’ now in theaters and premiering globally on Apple TV+ on November 22.
Steve McQueen –– or Sir Steve McQueen, to give him the honorific he acquired in 2002 –– is a director we’ve come to expect a lot from. He pushes boundaries. He challenges conventions. He shines a light on subjects that don’t often get a lot of attention in mainstream filmmaking.
It’s somewhat surprising to report that ‘Blitz,’ his latest effort is so blandly conventional as to make you wonder whether he actually directed the thing himself. This World War II-set story still features some elements that channel McQueen’s driving interests –– marginalized people, issues of class and race –– but it’s so straight down the line in its treatment of its topics and characters that it feels like a throwback to much more mundane Oscar bait. And that’s a shame because you hunger for more.
Script and Direction
(L to R) Saoirse Ronan and Steve McQueen on the set of ‘Blitz,’ now in theaters and premiering globally on Apple TV+ on November 22.
With McQueen writing and directing, he takes both sole credit and solo blame for the results. ‘Blitz’s screenplay honestly feels like a hundred other World War II stories we’ve seen in the past –– there are the communities coming together in “blitz spirit” to support each other (aside from the usual pockets of racism and sexism that were –– and are –– still prevalent), the Air Raid Wardens trying to keep the populace safe and people crowding into underground stations to avoid the bombardment.
And for all McQueen has said publicly about highlighting lesser-known stories, we do have to wonder if he hasn’t seen many World War II movies or shows, many of which who have featured the women of the country left to work in factories or doing other jobs when the men go to war.
(L to R) Elliott Heffernan and Steve McQueen on the set of ‘Blitz,’ now in theaters and premiering globally on Apple TV+ on November 22.
Whole sequences, such as dance hall that becomes a bombed-out ruin where thieves ply their trade, feel like they were included to pad the running time instead of having a real impact, and could easily have gone to the cutting room floor without affecting the movie much at all.
It also suffers from a serious case of anticlimax after the long journey that George takes to get home –– minus one final gut punch, it’s as though the movie simply stops as opposed to coming to a satisfying end.
In his defense, he is able to bring some stark, memorable images to screen and his relatively routine script is brought to life by the cast.
Performances
(L to R) Saoirse Ronan, Elliott Heffernan and Paul Weller in ‘Blitz,’ now in theaters and premiering globally on Apple TV+ on November 22.
As with the rest of the movie, the performances are a case of some great, and some… barely there.
Saoirse Ronan as Rita
Saoirse Ronan in ‘Blitz,’ now in theaters and premiering globally on Apple TV+ on November 22.
Ronan’s Rita is the heart and soul of the movie alongside her son. She’s a young mother whose great love was deported, leaving her to raise her son with just her grandfather to help. But Rita has a backbone that could carry the country, even if her character is mostly reduced to worrying about her child or spending time with her friends at work and beyond. Still, Ronan does a lot with a little.
Elliott Heffernan as George
Elliott Heffernan in ‘Blitz,’ now in theaters and premiering globally on Apple TV+ on November 22.
The real focus of the movie is George, the nine-year-old who, resentful that he’s been packed off for his own safety with the latest wave of evacuees from London, leaps from the train and looks to make his way home.
Heffernan, making his debut here, is a superb find, playing perfectly off of Ronan in the scenes they share, but truly coming into his own when he’s, well, on his own. The young actor has a stare that could cut through concrete, and he deploys it tactically. He truly makes you feel for the capable, charming George
An Air Raid Warden that George meets on his quest to go home, Ife is only in the movie for a brief time, but Clémentine absolutely stands out, making the role his own. He’s incredibly charismatic and works well with Heffernan.
Supporting Cast
(L to R) Stephen Graham and Elliott Heffernan in ‘Blitz,’ now in theaters and premiering globally on Apple TV+ on November 22.
Almost everyone else in the film is reduced to cliché or caricature, which is a shame since the cast is uniformly excellent. Stephen Graham (ably backed by veteran British comedic actor Kathy Burke) is a Fagin-alike criminal who kidnaps kids to infiltrate bombed-out buildings in search of treasures, and is fine, while rising star Harrison Dickinson is entirely wasted in a role that might as well be played by a background artist.
And spare a thought for poor Paul Weller, who might as well be a living piano for all the opportunities he gets to actually act –– one scene where he advises his grandson about how to deal with bullies does not a real character make.
Final Thoughts
Saoirse Ronan in ‘Blitz,’ now in theaters and premiering globally on Apple TV+ on November 22.
This is a real disappointment from a filmmaker who has done sterling work in the past. It’s not a bad movie per se, it’s just so shot-through with cliches and expected moments. Sure, it’s beautiful to look at (actually heartbreaking might be a better word given the devastation wrought upon London and its people), but it feels as hollow as a destroyed East End terraced house.
‘Blitz’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the plot of ‘Blitz’?
‘Blitz’s is the epic journey of George (Elliott Heffernan), a 9-year-old boy in World War II London whose mother Rita (Saoirse Ronan) sends him to safety in the English countryside.
George, defiant and determined to return home to his mom and his grandfather Gerald (Paul Weller) in East London, embarks on an adventure, only to find himself in immense peril, while a distraught Rita searches for her missing son.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Clive Owen about his work on ‘A Murder at the End of the World,’ his character, Marling and Batmanglij’s pitch for the series, working with the filmmaking duo, and his love for mysteries.
Clive Owen as Andy Ronson in ‘A Murder at the End of the World.’ Photo: Chris Saunders/FX.
Moviefone: To begin with, how would you describe your character Andy Ronson, in your own words?
Clive Owen: I play a character who’s a tech billionaire who used to have these regular retreats where he invites particular people who are at the forefront of the world, particularly in tech, and then brings them together for a gathering, and he has flown everyone to this very remote location in Iceland. Then it starts to turn into a very fresh take on a murder mystery where you’ve got a whole group of people who are captive, and things start to go wrong. Then we realize the situation, and that’s how it develops.
A scene from FX’s ‘A Murder at the End of the World.’ Photo: Chris Saunders/FX.
MF: How did Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij pitch the character to you when you were first in discussions for the role?
CO: I mean, it was pitched as a very modern take on a on a murder mystery. I read a couple of descriptions and then jumped on another long zoom with them, and they started to talk about the potential of where it was going to go. What I loved about it is that I feel that they’re very exciting filmmakers, the two of them. They’re very ambitious. They’re trying to discuss things that are hugely relevant in an original way. Although it is a murder mystery, I’ve certainly never seen a character like Darby take us through a story like this. I was very excited by that, and it helps that Emma Corrin is fantastic in it. But you know a young, very smart, feisty person is not often at the center of stories like this. You realize that that’s something that you know needs to change and hopefully, this is the beginning of that.
Emma Corrin as Darby Hart in ‘A Murder at the End of the World.’ Photo: Chris Saunders/FX.
MF: Did you take inspiration for Andy from any real-life tech billionaires, or did you just draw your inspiration for the character from how he was written on the page?
CO: Only from what I discussed with them. We had some long Zooms where we talked about it, and I didn’t want to go off and, you know, home in on one person. This is going to be my take on it. It was very much script led, and it was very much led by Brit and Zal. They gave me a whole back story very early on, and thoughts about where he came from and his background. We wrestled with that and brought things into play. Sometimes you still go outside, and you find somebody to home in on and think about. But this was very much script led.
(Right) Clive Owen as Andy Ronson in ‘A Murder at the End of the World.’ Photo: Chris Saunders/FX.
MF: What was your experience like working with both Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij on this series?
CO: It was refreshingly and seamless. You know they are a real partnership in terms of they do everything, and they really see the story through together. Then, on this one, Brit was also a director, and she was super impressive in terms of you could act with her in a scene, and then she would go and check the monitor. The rhythm never got held up. She was very on top of what she was trying to achieve, both as a director and as an actress, and it felt like a natural flow. She was crossing between acting and directing very easy and smooth.
(L to R) Clive Owen, Brit Marling and Emma Corrin in ‘A Murder at the End of the World.’ Photo: Chris Saunders/FX.
MF: Can you talk about the dynamics between Andy and the character Brit Marling plays, Lee Anderson? Did you have rehearsal time or discuss their relationship before you began filming?
CO: We talked about everything. I think it’s always super important to fully from an act to understand the intentions of what you know they were trying to do. We had plenty of Zooms and plenty of conversations about it. You know, what they were trying to achieve with it, and I think that’s kind of enough. If you over rehearse, you can sort of lose something. But it’s important to really nail everybody’s intentions. Their intentions as writers and directors, and what they want to get out of the actors, and we did. We did an awful lot of you prep before we shot.
(L to R) Emma Corrin as Darby Hart and Harris Dickinson as Bill in ‘A Murder at the End of the World.’ Photo: Christopher Saunders/FX.
MF: Finally, the show is really a mystery series. Are you a fan of that genre?
CO: I mean, back in the day I did a movie with Robert Atman called ‘Gosford Park.’ That’s the classic, you know, everybody brought together in one location, something goes wrong, and we must find out who’s responsible. This was a very fresh take on that kind of story.
(Center) Clive Owen as Andy Ronson in ‘A Murder at the End of the World.’ Photo: Chris Saunders/FX.
What’s the plot of ‘A Murder at the End of the World?
‘A Murder at the end of the World’ sees Gen Z amateur sleuth and tech-savvy hacker Darby Hart (Emma Corrin) and eight other guests invited by a reclusive billionaire (Clive Owen) to participate in a retreat at a remote and dazzling location.
When one of the other guests is found dead, Darby must use all of her skills to prove it was murder against a tide of competing interests and before the killer takes another life. She’ll gave to deal with both the human element and the complicated technology that runs the facility.
Who is in the cast of ‘A Murder at the End of the World’?
Emma Corrin stars in FX’s ‘A Murder at the End of the World.’
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Emma Corrin about their work on ‘A Murder at the End of the World,’ discovering their character, collaborating with series creators Brit Marling and director Zal Batmanglij, and shooting in Iceland.
Emma Corrin as Darby Hart in ‘A Murder at the End of the World.’ Photo: Chris Saunders/FX.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Corrin, Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij.
Moviefone: To begin with, how did Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij pitch the character of Darby to you when you were first in discussions for the role?
Emma Corrin: It came about in a quite strange but beautiful way where I was sent the script ahead of meeting them. I love reading scripts and you must do it a lot for this job. But sometimes I do find it hard to fully get lost in them. I don’t think I’ve ever read a script and not been able to put it down, just because of the format of it and the way that all works. I honestly couldn’t put these down. I was tearing through them, and I finished three and I was like, “Please, will they send me more?” They were like, “We don’t know if we should.” I was like, “Please, I need to know.” That was an amazing feeling. So immediately I felt so connected to the character. I felt compelled by her. I found her really refreshing. I just thought it was incredibly clever storytelling. So then when I met Brit and Zal on a Zoom, we just talked about storytelling. We talked about childhood, play, writing stories, what stories mean for us, why we tell them, why Darby tells them, and who she is and how that informs her. After that, they offered me the role. We hadn’t done the normal thing of going through scenes or reading through them. We’d really talked about her and her spirit, and that felt beautiful in some way to be offered it off the basis of that.
(L to R) Emma Corrin as Darby Hart and Harris Dickinson as Bill in ‘A Murder at the End of the World.’ Photo: Christopher Saunders/FX.
MF: How did you personally connect to the character of Darby?
EC: I think her look, and I think what really helped inform me was exploring the younger Darby and the older Darby, and doing work on how those people are different. I think with any character, even if a younger version of them isn’t in the piece you’re doing, I think that it’s what you explore. How has what this person has been through, even if it’s not in the script or in the story, how has it informed who they are today? I think it was a real gift to be able to have that person scripted, have that youthful part of her scripted, and be able to talk to Brit and Zal about that. Obviously, it’s a unique upbringing. Her dad’s a coroner. She’s grown up on crime scenes. There was a lot to explore there.
(L to R) Emma Corrin as Darby Hart and Harris Dickinson as Bill in ‘A Murder at the End of the World.’ Photo: Lilja Jons/FX.
MF: Finally, what was the most difficult aspect of shooting on location in Iceland?
EC: Shooting in that environment is so challenging because it is freezing and I’m not good in cold temperatures. I have terrible circulation and it was really demanding. But also, I found that incredibly rewarding because you feel like you’re working hard, and you feel like you deserve your bed at the end of the day. You know that feeling? It was a beautiful place to shoot. Even if you were absolutely freezing and thought you were going to die of hypothermia, you looked around and it was just breathtaking. So, it was sort of a double-sided thing. I honestly found the shoot in New Jersey hard on the stages. It’s a really demanding series. I’m in every single frame. I think that’s one of the things that excited me when I read the script. But then in actuality it was insane, and amazing. I was so supported by an incredible cast and an incredible crew who were always there for me when it got hard. But they built this hotel in the stages, and I was rattling around there every day for about four or five months. I really felt like I was starting to get mad by the end of it.
(L to R) Harris Dickinson as Bill, Emma Corrin as Darby Hart in ‘A Murder at the End of the World.’ Photo: Eric Liebowitz/FX.
What’s the Plot of ‘A Murder at the End of the World?
‘A Murder at the end of the World’ sees Gen Z amateur sleuth and tech-savvy hacker Darby Hart (Emma Corrin) and eight other guests invited by a reclusive billionaire (Clive Owen) to participate in a retreat at a remote and dazzling location.
When one of the other guests is found dead, Darby must use all of her skills to prove it was murder against a tide of competing interests and before the killer takes another life. She’ll gave to deal with both the human element and the complicated technology that runs the facility.
Who is in the Cast of ‘A Murder at the End of the World’?
(L to R) Emma Corrin as Darby Hart and Harris Dickinson as Bill in ‘A Murder at the End of the World.’ Photo: Christopher Saunders/FX.
Launching on FX on Hulu on November 14th with two episodes, ‘A Murder at the End of the World’ sees the much-anticipated return to TV of writer/directors Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, who last brought us the twisty, complicated series ‘The OA’ on Netflix.
Their new series doesn’t dig into quite as strange themes, but there is plenty on the creators’ minds, exploring concepts of trust, technology, love and, as the title suggests, murder.
‘A Murder at the End of the World’: Overview
(L to R) Harris Dickinson as Bill and Emma Corrin as Darby Hart in ‘A Murder at the End of the World.’ Photo: Chris Saunders/FX.
In their movie work, Batmanglij have always explored fascinating ideas, though sometimes concept has trumped character. There is some of that for sure in their new limited series, though at least it has the chance to come to a proper conclusion (unlike ‘The OA’, which Netflix cancelled before the story was fully told, leaving fans frustrated).
Here, they’ve cooked up a chilly take on the likes of Poirot and even ‘True Detective’ (the flashback subplot featuring Emma Corrin‘s Darby and Harris Dickinson’s Bill on a mission to unmask a suburban serial killer feels very much in the latter’s gritty wheelhouse).
It’s a solid piece of entertainment if you’re a fan of the mystery genre, though the intertwining stories don’t always mesh as well as they might (and the flashbacks are less watchable than the main plot, sometimes serving as distraction more than background).
‘A Murder at the End of the World’: Script and Direction
(L to R) Harris Dickinson as Bill, Emma Corrin as Darby Hart in ‘A Murder at the End of the World.’ Photo: Eric Liebowitz/FX.
The creative pair has long proved they know how to create compelling worlds, and ‘Murder’ is no exception.
Utilizing voiceover and some of the other tropes of the mystery genre, the series cooks up a variety of potential suspects for Darby to investigate, all with their own motivations and interests, though they’re naturally not all as well drawn as she is.
As a setting for the show, the high-tech, stylish hotel facility is both interesting visually and able to push the story forward, not least because the idea of surveillance and how the point of view can be shifted subconsciously is one that the series explores well.
It must be said, though, despite the clearly decent budget, a few moments are very obviously greenscreen, such as when the cast are out and about in the freezing Icelandic wastes. A few shots are embarrassingly amateur for such a stylish series.
How Are the Performances in ‘A Murder at the End of the World’?
(L to R) Emma Corrin as Darby Hart and Alice Braga as Sian in ‘A Murder at the End of the World.’ Photo: Eric Liebowitz/FX.
Corrin, of course, anchors every scene, but unlike ‘The Crown’ where she found the perfect tones and attitude as Princess Diana, her turn as Darby is held back somewhat by having to adopt the accent and mood of the hacker.
Darby’s an awkward character, whose low key style and troubled past edge her into cliché, though she is at least an effective detective.
It’s Clive Owen who shines more here, playing the mysterious tech maven Andy Ronson with shades of Elon Musk (though less annoying) who has plans to save the world from a climate crisis and has gathered a group of friends and experts to bear witness to some of his amazing new ideas.
Owen brings plenty to the table as Ronson, peeling away his layers as the story moves on, and showing his troubled relationship with wife Lee (Marling). The actor/writer/director has given herself enough to chew on as Lee, who keeps her own secrets close but finds a kinship in Darby.
And the third tentpole of the show is Harris Dickinson as Darby’s former partner/love Bill Farrah, who accompanies her on a murder mystery in the flashbacks and then shows up at the retreat after years of estrangement. Dickinson brings Bill to life with subtlety and weird charm even as the character erects big boundaries as an agitprop hacker-turned-Banksy type.
Elsewhere, most of the other characters are treated like plot devices more than people, with only a few making a real impression, such as Joan Chen playing Lu Mei, a wealthy contemporary of Andy who designs smart cities and Edoardo Ballerini as Ray, the ever-present AI who controls the facility and acts as a very advanced version of Alexa.
‘A Murder at the End of the World’: Final Thoughts
Harris Dickinson as Bill in ‘A Murder at the End of the World.’ Photo: Chris Saunders/FX.
The new show won’t completely fill the void for those missing ‘The OA’, but ‘A Murder at the End of the World’ does at least represent Batmanglij and Marling given relatively free reign to indulge themselves. Though the storyline is a little more conventional, there are enough touches to make this work on different levels.
If the ambition sometimes expands beyond their reach, the show still offers a tricky mystery to keep you guessing.
‘A Murder at the End of the World’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
Emma Corrin as Darby Hart in ‘A Murder at the End of the World.’ Photo: Chris Saunders/FX.
What’s the story of ‘A Murder at the End of the World?
‘A Murder at the end of the World’ sees Gen Z amateur sleuth and tech-savvy hacker Darby Hart (Emma Corrin) and eight other guests invited by a reclusive billionaire (Clive Owen) to participate in a retreat at a remote and dazzling location.
When one of the other guests is found dead, Darby must use all of her skills to prove it was murder against a tide of competing interests and before the killer takes another life. She’ll gave to deal with both the human element and the complicated technology that runs the facility.
Who else is in ‘A Murder at the End of the World’?
