Damien ChazelleThe director behind ‘La La Land’ and ‘Whiplash’ is mounting what will be a significant comeback in 2022 after the infamous box office failure of ‘Babilonia’. His next project is an untitled 1940s psychodrama set in a prison, and he’s brought together two of the most compelling actors working today to direct it: Daniel Craig and Cillian Murphy.According to GQ, for Craig, the film continues what has been a deliberately eclectic post-Bond era, following his turn in ‘Knives Out’ and his acclaimed work in ‘Queer’. For Murphy, as usual, the art-house and mid-budget space is familiar territory, though, since “Oppenheimer” and his Best Actor Oscar win.
What we know about the movie so far
Exact details are scarce given the secrecy surrounding the project. The film is currently untitled, no release date has been confirmed and casting has not been officially announced. However, film blog World of Reel reports that Craig will play a prison warden who tries to break Murphy’s “defiant inmate” within a “brutal correctional system.”Production began last month, which would suggest a 2027 release is a reasonable expectation. Michelle Williams and Mia Threapleton have also been confirmed as actors Threapleton reportedly filmed scenes with Murphy late last month.
Why the film is creating serious prize holes
High-profile prison dramas have historically done well at the Oscars, and on paper, this project fits that mold. It compares the psychological angle to Alan Parker’s ‘Midnight Express’, one of the most famous entries in the genre. With Craig yet to be nominated for an Oscar and Murphy just getting his first win, the combination of material and talent makes this one of the hottest awards on the horizon.The untitled Chazelle film is expected to arrive in 2027.
