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Roger Deakins‘ presence is immediately recognizable in the first teaser trailer for Searchlight Pictures Empire of Light. The legendary cinematographer responsible for films such as Blade Runner 2049, Skyfall, and 1917 is once again pairing with Sam Mendes for their latest project.
Based on the teaser trailer alone, Empire of Light is beautifully shot, opening on a grand unveiling of the silver screen as the curtains are pulled away. The movie will center around cinema and the beauty of filmmaking, as a narrator explains the process to the audience throughout the teaser. “Film. It’s just static frames, with darkness in between. But there’s a little flaw in your optic nerve. So if I run the film at 24 frames per second, it creates an illusion of motion. An illusion of life.” The narrator continues, “So you don’t see the darkness. Out there, they just see a beam of light. And nothing happens without light.”
The man seemingly refers to the ray of light produced from a projector within a cinema; however, the idea will likely be expanded throughout the film. The official synopsis for Empire of Light reads: “Set in an English seaside town in the early 1980s, Empire of Light is a powerful and poignant story about human connection and the magic of cinema.” The release date is slated for later this year, with Empire of Light arriving in theaters on Dec. 9, 2022.
Empire of Light Boasts a Talented Cast
Sam Mendes helms Empire of Light, marking the first time the filmmaker is directing a screenplay written entirely by himself. He directed and wrote the script for 1917; however, Krysty Wilson-Cairns helped with the writing. Mendes is an established director in Hollywood with his previous work, including American Beauty, Revolutionary Road, Skyfall, and Spectre. The director won an Oscar for Best Director with American Beauty and received three nominations in 2019 for the war film 1917.
Olivia Colman leads the cast, with three total Oscar nominations and one win in 2019 for Best Actress in The Favourite. She’s joined by co-star Michael Ward, known for his performance in Top Boy, Blue Story, Dev’s Diary, and The A List. Colin Firth, Toby Jones, Monica Dolan, Sara Stewart, Tom Brooke, and Ron Cook round out the cast for Empire of Light. Julie Pastor and Michael Lerman serve as EP on the project, with Mendes, Pippa Harris, Celia Duval, and Lola Oliyide producing.
Empire of Light beams into theaters on Dec. 9 later this year.
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