Topline
Fashion billionaire and occasional director Tom Ford is returning to film for the first time in a decade with an all-star cast lined up, including singer Adele in her acting debut, for an adaptation of Anne Rice’s novel “Cry to Heaven.”
Tom Ford hasn’t written or directed a movie since “Nocturnal Animals” in 2016. (Photo by Savion Washington/Getty Images)
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Key Facts
“Cry to Heaven” will be Ford’s first film since the psychological thriller “Nocturnal Animals” hit theaters in 2016, and Ford is slated to write, produce and direct the Rice adaptation, which does not yet have a release date.
Deadline first reported Ford is helming the feature, which is in pre-production in London and Rome with filming scheduled to start in mid-January for a possible late 2026 release.
The movie will mark Adele’s acting debut, though her role is not yet known, and she will star alongside Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nicholas Hoult, Colin Firth, Thandiwe Newton, Hunter Schafer, Ciarán Hinds, George MacKay, Paul Bettany and more, Deadline reported.
The film will be set in 18th century Italy and follows a Venetian noble whose life becomes intertwined with a castrated opera singer.
Ford, who became a billionaire in 2022 after selling his eponymous fashion brand to Estée Lauder, reportedly decided to self-finance the film through his Fade To Black production company after holding talks with multiple studios.
What Else Has Tom Ford Directed?
“Cry to Heaven” will be Ford’s third film following his debut, “A Single Man” (2009), and “Nocturnal Animals” (2016). Ford wrote, directed and produced all of his features. Both films were well-received by critics, with “A Single Man” scoring an 86% on Rotten Tomatoes and an Oscar nomination for Firth’s leading performance. It was a modest box office success, grossing $25 million on a small $7 million budget. “Nocturnal Animals” earned a 74% score on Rotten Tomatoes and landed an Academy Award nomination for actor Michael Shannon’s supporting role. Ford was also nominated for the Golden Globe Awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay, though he won neither. The movie grossed over $30 million on a roughly $20 million budget.