Yahoo News Lionsgate UK Acquires Ian McKellen Thriller ‘The Critic’
Lionsgate UK has locked a deal with Zygi Kamasa’s True Brit Entertainment to release the Ian McKellen pic The Critic.
The studio will release the feature in UK and Irish cinemas on Friday 13 September.
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The film stars McKellen (The Lord of the Rings, X-Men) alongside Gemma Arterton (The King’s Man, Funny Woman), Mark Strong (1917, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Alfred Enoch (How To Get Away With Murder, The Couple Next Door), Romola Garai (One Life, Scoop), Ben Barnes (Shadow and Bone) and Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris).
Set in 1930s London, the pic is described as “a thrilling tale of ambition, blackmail, and desire with a dazzling anti-hero at its heart.” The synopsis reads: When the most feared and vicious theatre critic in town Jimmy Erskine (Mckellen), finds himself suddenly in the cross hairs of the Daily Chronicle’s new owner David Brooke (Strong), he strikes a Faustian pact with struggling actress Nina Land (Arterton) who is desperate to win his favor.
The screenplay was adapted from Anthony Quinn’s novel Curtain Call by writer Patrick Marber (Closer, Notes on a Scandal). The film is directed by Anand Tucker (Hilary & Jackie, Shopgirl), and produced by the late Bill Kenwright’s BK Studios alongside Jolyon Symonds for Fearless Minds, and Anand Tucker’s Seven Stories.
“This taut and gripping thriller, led by Ian McKellen’s completely captivating performance, had us on the edge of our seats,” said Marie-Claire Benson, Executive Vice President and Head of the Lionsgate UK Motion Picture Group. “Like all of Anand’s films, The Critic is hugely entertaining and will stay with you long after you leave the cinema. It’s a perfect addition to our slate, and we’re thrilled to be teaming with our longtime friend Zygi to bring it to audiences.”
Kamasa, True Brit Entertainment CEO, added: “We’re delighted to partner with Lionsgate for The Critic in our first-ever distribution deal. It’s an astonishing British film with a stellar cast and we can’t wait to jointly bring it to audiences in UK and Ireland.”
The Critic debuted at last year’s Toronto Film Festival.
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