We have seen so many great biopics and historical dramas hit the big screen over the last few years from 1917 to The Imitation Game, The Dig and Zola (yes, to me Zola is a historical drama, I will not be taking questions...) - Let's take a look at what will be coming this year!
1. The Northman
Director: Robert Eggars
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Alexander Skarsgard, Willem Dafoe
Release: April 15, 2022 (Ireland, theatrical release)
Eggar's viking epic The Northman is based on "The History of the Danes," found in Books 3 and 4 of Saxo Grammaticus' Gesta Danorum, is set to follow the story of a viking prince (Skarsgard) who sets out on a tour de force to avenge his father. The books that the film are based on are also said to have inspired Shakespeare's Hamlet! This film is set to be released on April 15 here in Ireland and with one of the best "with ands" I have seen in a long time (With Ethan Hawke and Bjork!), I think it is definitely one to look out for.
2. Oppenheimer
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Cillian Murphy
Release: TBD
Christopher Nolan's upcoming historical drama is set to cover the the role J. Robert Oppenheimer played in the development of the atom bomb throughout World War II. Details of the film are few an far between but it is rumoured to star Irish film darling Cillian Murphy and may be the first Nolan flick to not be released by Warner Bros. During the Manhattan Project, Oppenheimer was director of the Los Alamos Laboratory and responsible for the research and design of an atomic bomb and is known the “father of the atomic bomb."
3. The Woman King
Director: Gina Prince-Blythewood
Starring: Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch, John Boyega
Release: September 16, 2022 (Ireland, theatrical release)
The Woman King stars Viola Davis as Nanisca, the general of the Dahomey Amazons an all-female military regiment of the Kingdom of Dahomey which was one of the most powerful Afrian states in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Dahoney Amazons together fought the French and neighbouring tribes who violated their honour, enslaved their people, and threatened to destroy everything they've lived for. Fans of Widows rise - we are going to see another Davis thriller! So far, we have no trailer but check out stills from the film below.
4. Blonde
Director: Andrew Dominik
Starring: Ana de Armas,
Release: 2022 (Netflix)
Blonde is an upcoming Marilyn Monroe biopic based Joyce Carol Oates’ 2000 novel, which takes a fictionalized look at Monroe’s inner life. The film is set to premiere at Cannes which will take place May 17 - 28 and rumour has it the biopic was filmed in 2019 but had to go through an extensive round of post-production to fix de Arma's accent. De Armas only learned english during the filming War Dogs (2016) so to be taking on the role of America's darling Monroe must have been extremely daunting - props to her!
5. Elvis
Director: Baz Luhrmann
Starring: Austin Butler, Tom Hanks
Release: June 24, 2022 (Ireland, theatrical release)
This upcoming biopic from the director of The Great Gatsby tells the story of hip-swinging legend Elvis Presley (Butler) and his manager, the infamous Colonel Tom Parker (Hanks). Reportedly, Austin Butler fought off many other young stars including Harry Styles to get the role of the king. A detailed description of the film's plot is not yet known but perhaps we might be getting some insight into the life of the mysterious colonel who honestly deserves a biopic of his own. The colonel, among other exploits during his time, toured with carnivals, managed a palm-reading booth and and even during World War II, when the draft was introduced, ate until he weighed more than 300 pounds in a successful bid to have himself declared unfit for further service.
There are so many historical (and semi-historical) flicks set to be released between 2022 and 2023 perhaps thanks to recent successes like King Richard, Tick Tick...Boom! and Spencer, this list is only the tip of the iceberg. Which are you most excited for?
Commenti