Disney has set Searchlight Pictures Empire of Light for a December 9, 2022, theatrical release. The project comes from Skyfall and American Beauty director Sam Mendes.
Empire of Light, which Mendes also wrote, is a love story set in and around a beautiful old cinema on the South Coast of England in the 1980s. The film stars Colin Firth (Kingsman), Olivia Colman (The Favourite), Toby Jones (Captain America: Winter Soldier), Sara Stewart (Sugar Rush), Michael Ward (Lovers Rock), and Tanya Moodie (Motherland). Storied cinematographer Roger Deakins, who worked with Mendes on 1917 is also on board the production team.
The film is being overseen by Searchlight Pictures’ Head of Film Production and Development, Katie Goodson-Thomas; Director of Development and Production, Pete Spencer; and Creative Executive, Cornelia Burleigh. Pippa Harris and Mendes are producing under their Neal Street Productions banner.
Searchlight Pictures has multiple projects still on the way in 2022 including See How They Run (September 16), The Banshees of Inisherin (October 21), and The Menu (November 18).
