Ian McKellen, Gemma Arterton, Mark Strong, Lesley Manville, Ben Barnes & More To Star In Period Thriller ‘The Critic’
deadline.comEXCLUSIVE: Ian McKellen (The Good Liar), Gemma Arterton (Summerland) and Mark Strong (1917) will lead the cast of The Critic, a period thriller based on Anthony Quinn’ classic novel Curtain Call, which will also star Oscar nominee Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread), BAFTA nominee Romola Garai (Suffragette), Ben Barnes (Westworld) and Alfred Enoch (Foundation).In the film set in 1934 London, McKennel plays Jimmy Erskine, the most feared drama critic in town—with Arterton as Nina Land, the actress who’s determined to win his favor.
When Jimmy finds himself in the crosshairs of his newspaper’s new owner, David Brooke (Strong), Nina is entangled into a dangerous web of blackmail, deceit and murder.Anand Tucker (Hilary and Jackie) is directing from a script by Oscar nominee Patrick Marber (Notes on a Scandal), with production currently underway in and around London.
The film is being fully financed and produced by the London-based BKStudios, with owner Bill Kenwright producing and CEO David Gilbery exec producing for the company.
Jolyon Symonds originated and developed the project and is producing alongside Kenwright. His company Fearless Minds is co-producing with Anand Tucker’s Seven Stories.
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