Blitz (2024 film)

Last updated

Blitz
Blitz film poster.jpg
Release poster
Directed by Steve McQueen
Written bySteve McQueen
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Yorick Le Saux
Edited by Peter Sciberras
Music by Hans Zimmer
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • October 9, 2024 (2024-10-09)(BFI)
  • November 1, 2024 (2024-11-01)(United Kingdom and United States)
  • November 22, 2024 (2024-11-22)(Apple TV+)
Running time
120 minutes [2]
Countries
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
LanguageEnglish

Blitz is a 2024 historical war drama film written, produced and directed by Steve McQueen. The film stars Saoirse Ronan and Elliot Heffernan (in his film debut), supported by Harris Dickinson, Benjamin Clementine, Kathy Burke, Paul Weller, and Stephen Graham.

Contents

Blitz had its world premiere as the opening film at the BFI London Film Festival on 9 October 2024, and was released in selected cinemas in the United Kingdom and United States on 1 November 2024, followed by a streaming release on Apple TV+ on 22 November 2024. The film received generally positive reviews from critics.

Plot

In London during World War II, when a young boy is sent away to evacuate the city amidst the Blitz, he instead defiantly goes on an adventure to return to his mother, only to find himself in immense peril from a succession of Dickensian characters.

Cast

Production

Development

In October 2021, it was announced that McQueen would write, direct and produce a new feature film titled Blitz for New Regency, with Lammas Park producing alongside Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner of Working Title Films. [3] In March 2022, McQueen confirmed his next project was going to be about Londoners during the Blitz of World War II and that he had discussed this with Anne, the Princess Royal, as she awarded him his knighthood at Windsor Castle. [4] In June 2022, it was announced that Apple TV+ had picked up the distribution rights. Producers are New Regency's Arnon Milchan, Yariv Milchan and Michael Schaefer. [5]

Casting

In September 2022, it was announced that Saoirse Ronan would be heading the cast and Adam Stockhausen leading the production design. [6] In December 2022, Harris Dickinson, Erin Kellyman, Stephen Graham and Kathy Burke were added to the cast, along with singer-songwriter Paul Weller in his feature film acting debut. [7] Later that month, Benjamin Clementine, Leigh Gill, Mica Ricketts, CJ Beckford, Hayley Squires and Sally Messham were announced as joining the cast. [8]

Filming

Principal photography began in London in November 2022. [9] Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden was used as a base. [10] In January 2023, filming took place close to London Waterloo station. Later that month, special effect crews simulated bombs hitting the water in the River Thames at Wapping. Filming also took place in the London borough of Greenwich. [11] In February 2023, it was reported that production had relocated to Hull's old town, with a filming schedule of two weeks. [12]

Music

“The idea behind the whole thing is the story of a child who is trying to get through war-torn London, which has been bombed all the time, and trying to find his mother again. What I wanted to do is, I wanted the grownups – you, me, the grownups – to feel the same sort of disassociation, being completely lost in the world, being illogical, not knowing how to get there, not knowing how to get home, not knowing how to find home, and having that horror, that fear that you’ll never find it again; the horror of these massive bombs coming down. So the only way I could think of doing it was to write music which was so brutal and so absolutely violent.” - Hans Zimmer

While Hans Zimmer has previously ventured musically into World War II with films like Dunkirk and Pearl Harbor, working on Blitz allowed him to look at the era, and a facet of his own family history, in a new way. Zimmer revealed that his mother had been "a refugee in England during the Second World War, and Steve McQueen gave me one direction. He said ‘After you watch this film, you will understand your mother better’", during a Deadline Sound & Screen event. The story moved Zimmer to create a score to reflect the unrelenting chaos and brutality of the blitz: “This score is unmitigatedly horrendous", he said. "It is an absolute horrible score, it’s so dissonant, it’s so committed to this atonality." [13]

Release

Blitz premiered as the opening film at the BFI London Film Festival held at the Royal Festival Hall on 9 October 2024. This was McQueen's third directorial effort to do so after 2018's Widows and 2020's Mangrove , which was part of his Small Axe anthology series. The film was then released in selected cinemas in the US and UK on 1 November 2024, before streaming on Apple TV+ from 22 November. [14]

Reception

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 81% of 175 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7/10.The website's consensus reads: "A surprisingly old-fashioned tale of survival from director Steve McQueen, Blitz's examination of British society under wartime is given a beating heart by Elliott Heffernan and Saoirse Ronan's lovely performances." [15] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 71 out of 100, based on 53 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. [16] Writing in The Guardian , Peter Bradshaw scored the film three out of five, and described it as a "well made and unashamedly old-fashioned wartime adventure, heartfelt and rousing and – yes – a bit trad overall", and said that it was "a film about the blitz of 1940 which tries to restate the accepted imagery, the dramatic stock footage and familiar ideas but also absorb revisionist approaches". [17]

Leonard Maltin, reviewing Blitz for his own blog, described it as "powerful and somewhat disarming" and "one of the year’s best films". [18] However, in the Chicago Reader , critic Kylie Bolter, while praising the score, cinematography and some of the performances, said the film didn’t "feel complete or unique". [19] Peter Travers, for ABC News, summarised Blitz as "an indisputably good movie", but concluded that despite "all the elements [being] in place for something extraordinary", it "misses the mark". [20] Critics also praised Yorick Le Saux's "stunningly captured" images for their "stark beauty". [21]

Accolades

Award/FestivalDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
Montclair Film Festival 27 October 2024Visionary Director Award Steve McQueen Honored [22] [23]
Hollywood Music in Media Awards 20 November 2024 Best Original Song – Feature Film "Winter Coat" – Nicholas Britell, Steve McQueen & Taura Stinson Nominated [24]
Original Score – Feature Film Hans Zimmer Nominated
Song – Onscreen Performance (TV Show/Limited Series)"Winter Coat" – Saoirse Ronan Nominated
Camerimage 23 November 2024 Special Award for Outstanding DirectorSteve McQueenWon [25] [26]
Golden Frog Yorick Le Saux Nominated
Winter IndieWire Honors 5 December 2024Wavelength AwardSteve McQueen and Adam Stockhausen Won [27]
Los Angeles Film Critics Association 8 December 2024 Best Production Design Adam Stockhausen Runner-up [28]
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association 8 December 2024 Best Youth Performance Elliott HeffernanWon [29]
Best Original Score Hans ZimmerNominated
Celebration of Cinema and Television 9 December 2024Director AwardSteve McQueenWon [30]
Critics' Choice Movie Awards 12 January 2025 Best Young Actor/Actress Elliott HeffernanPending [31]
Satellite Awards 26 January 2025 Best Costume Design Jacqueline DurranPending [32]
Best Original Song "Winter Coat" – Nicholas Britell, Steve McQueen, and Taura StinsonPending
Black Reel Awards 10 February 2025 Outstanding Director Steve McQueenPending [33]
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance Elliott HeffernanPending
Outstanding Screenplay Steve McQueenPending
Society of Composers & Lyricists 12 February 2025 Outstanding Original Song for a Dramatic or Documentary Visual Media Production"Winter Coat" – Nicholas Britell, Steve McQueen, and Taura StinsonPending [34]
Artios Awards 12 February 2025 Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Drama) Nina Gold, Lucy AmosPending [35]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve McQueen (director)</span> British film director and video artist (born 1969)

Sir Steve Rodney McQueen is a British film director, film producer, screenwriter, and video artist. Known for directing films that deal with intense subject matters, he has received several awards including an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and a Golden Globe Award. He was honoured with the BFI Fellowship in 2016 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2020 for services to art and film. In 2014, he was included in Time magazine's annual Time 100 list of the "most influential people in the world".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saoirse Ronan</span> American-born Irish actress (born 1994)

Saoirse Una Ronan is an American-born Irish actress. Primarily known for her work in period dramas since adolescence, she has received various accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, in addition to nominations for four Academy Awards and five British Academy Film Awards.

Award-winning German composer and music producer Hans Zimmer has composed and produced over one hundred soundtracks and film scores. Of them, about 50 soundtracks and songs were nominated for awards. He has won two Academy Awards, four Satellite Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, four Grammy Awards, three Saturn Awards, two Annie Awards, and two WAFCA Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Lowden</span> Scottish actor (born 1990)

Jack Andrew Lowden is a Scottish actor. Following a four-year stage career, his first major international onscreen success was in the 2016 BBC miniseries War & Peace, which led to starring roles in feature films.

<i>How I Live Now</i> (film) 2013 romantic speculative drama film

How I Live Now is a 2013 romantic speculative drama film based on the 2004 novel of the same name by Meg Rosoff. It was directed by Kevin Macdonald, written by Tony Grisoni, Jeremy Brock and Penelope Skinner while starring Saoirse Ronan, George MacKay, Tom Holland, Harley Bird, Anna Chancellor and Corey Johnson. The film centres around American teenager, Daisy and her British cousins, Eddie (MacKay), Isaac (Holland), and Piper (Bird), as they try to reunite during an apocalyptic nuclear war.

<i>Brooklyn</i> (film) 2015 film directed by John Crowley

Brooklyn is a 2015 romantic period drama film directed by John Crowley and written by Nick Hornby, based on the 2009 novel by Colm Tóibín. A co-production between the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada, it stars Saoirse Ronan in the lead role, with Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson, Jim Broadbent, and Julie Walters in supporting roles. The plot follows Eilis Lacey, a young Irishwoman who immigrates to Brooklyn in the early 1950s to find employment. After building a life there, she is drawn back to her home town of Enniscorthy and has to choose where she wants to forge her future. Principal photography began in April 2014 with three weeks of filming in Ireland, which were followed by four weeks in Montreal, Quebec; only two days of filming took place in Brooklyn, one of which was spent at the beach in Coney Island.

<i>Lady Bird</i> (film) 2017 film by Greta Gerwig

Lady Bird is a 2017 American coming-of-age comedy drama film written and directed by Greta Gerwig in her solo directorial debut, starring Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Lucas Hedges, Timothée Chalamet, Beanie Feldstein, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Lois Smith. Set in Sacramento, California from fall 2002 to fall 2003, it focuses on a high school senior who shares a turbulent relationship with her mother.

<i>Mary Queen of Scots</i> (2018 film) 2018 film by Josie Rourke

Mary Queen of Scots is a 2018 historical drama film directed by Josie Rourke and with a screenplay by Beau Willimon based on John Guy's 2004 biography Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart. The film stars Saoirse Ronan as Mary, Queen of Scots, and Margot Robbie as her paternal first cousin once removed Queen Elizabeth I. Jack Lowden, Joe Alwyn, David Tennant, and Guy Pearce also star in supporting roles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harris Dickinson</span> English actor (born 1996)

Harris Dickinson is an English actor. He began his career in British television and had his first starring role in the drama film Beach Rats (2017), for which he was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead. He played John Paul Getty III in the FX drama series Trust (2018).

<i>Ammonite</i> (film) 2020 film by Francis Lee

Ammonite is a 2020 romantic drama film written and directed by Francis Lee. Loosely inspired by the life of British palaeontologist Mary Anning, played by Kate Winslet, the film centres on a speculative romantic relationship between Anning and geologist Charlotte Murchison, played by Saoirse Ronan. Gemma Jones, James McArdle, Alec Secăreanu and Fiona Shaw also star.

<i>Small Axe</i> (anthology) 2020 British anthology film series by Steve McQueen

Small Axe is a British anthology film series, created and directed by Steve McQueen. The anthology consists of five films that tell distinct stories about the lives of West Indian immigrants in London from the 1960s to the 1980s. Two episodes of the series were selected into the 2020 Cannes Film Festival. The series premiered on 15 November 2020 on BBC One in the United Kingdom and on 20 November 2020 on Amazon Prime Video in the United States. The title references a proverb – "Small axe fall big tree" or "If you are the big tree, we are the small axe" – that was popularised by Bob Marley in his 1973 song "Small Axe".

<i>Slow Horses</i> British spy thriller TV series (2022–)

Slow Horses is a British spy thriller television series based on the Slough House series of novels by Mick Herron. The first series, Slow Horses, premiered on Apple TV+ on 1 April 2022. The second series, Dead Lions, premiered on 2 December 2022. In June 2022, the programme was renewed for a third and fourth series. The third series, Real Tigers, premiered on 29 November 2023. The fourth series, Spook Street, premiered on 4 September 2024. In January 2024, it was renewed for a fifth series, which will be based on the fifth book in the series, London Rules. In October 2024, ahead of the fourth series premiere, it was renewed for a sixth series, which will be based on the sixth and seventh books in the series Joe Country and Slough House.

<i>Black Bird</i> (miniseries) American television series

Black Bird is an American true crime drama miniseries developed by Dennis Lehane, based on the 2010 autobiographical novel In with the Devil: a Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer, and a Dangerous Bargain for Redemption by James Keene with Hillel Levin. The six-episode miniseries premiered on July 8, 2022, on Apple TV+. The series received critical acclaim with particular praise toward Jimmy Keene's original story and its cast.

Disclaimer is a psychological thriller miniseries written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón, based on the 2015 novel of the same name by Renée Knight. It stars Cate Blanchett as a documentarian who is forced to confront her past, and Kevin Kline as the father of the boy she let drown in Italy 20 years earlier. The supporting cast includes Sacha Baron Cohen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Louis Partridge, Leila George and Lesley Manville.

<i>Palm Royale</i> 2024 comedy-drama television series

Palm Royale is a period comedy-drama television series created by Abe Sylvia, based on the 2018 novel Mr. & Mrs. American Pie by Juliet McDaniel. The series premiered on March 20, 2024, with the first three episodes on Apple TV+. The series was renewed for a second season in June 2024.

<i>The Outrun</i> (film) 2024 film by Nora Fingscheidt

The Outrun is a 2024 drama film directed by Nora Fingscheidt from a screenplay she co-wrote with Amy Liptrot, and a story the two co-wrote with Daisy Lewis, based on the 2016 memoir of the same name by Liptrot. A co-production between the United Kingdom and Germany, it stars Saoirse Ronan, who also serves as a producer, along with Paapa Essiedu, Nabil Elouahabi, Izuka Hoyle, Lauren Lyle, Saskia Reeves, and Stephen Dillane in supporting roles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">32nd International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage</span> 2024 edition of film festival

The 32nd International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, also named EnergaCAMERIMAGE 2024 for its sponsorship from Polish power company Energa, is scheduled to take place from 16 to 23 November 2024 in Toruń, Poland, to recognize and reward the best in cinematography in film, television and music videos.

Blitz (Soundtrack from the Apple Original Film) is the soundtrack to the 2024 film Blitz directed by Steve McQueen. The musical score is composed by Hans Zimmer, whose soundtrack featured 18 songs; it also included few original musical numbers scored by Nicholas Britell, who provided additional music. The album was released through Milan Records on 1 November 2024.

References

  1. ↑ "Blitz (2024)". BBFC . Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  2. ↑ "Blitz (12A)". BBFC . 4 October 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  3. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (9 November 2021). "Steve McQueen Sets Next Film 'Blitz' At New Regency, Where He Made Oscar-Winner '12 Years A Slave'". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on 12 December 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  4. ↑ Hennessey, Ted (15 March 2022). "Sir Steve McQueen discusses new Blitz film at Windsor investiture ceremony". The Independent . Archived from the original on 15 March 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  5. ↑ Kroll, Justin (6 June 2022). "Apple Lands Steve McQueen's Next Feature Film 'Blitz'". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  6. ↑ "Saoirse Ronan To Star In Steve McQueen's 'Blitz' For Apple Original Films And New Regency". Deadline Hollywood . 22 September 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  7. ↑ Kroll, Justin (6 December 2022). "Harris Dickinson, Elliott Heffernan, Erin Kellyman Among Those Joining Ensemble Of Steve McQueen's 'Blitz' At Apple". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on 15 December 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  8. ↑ Yossman, K.J. (13 December 2022). "Steve McQueen's World War 2 Feature 'Blitz' Rounds Out Cast With Benjamin Clementine, Leigh Gill and More (Exclusive)". Variety . Archived from the original on 9 August 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  9. ↑ "Blitz Production List". Film & Television Industry Alliance. 10 October 2022. Archived from the original on 15 December 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  10. ↑ "What's On Screen and Filming in London: December 2022". Film London . 7 December 2022. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  11. ↑ Doyle, Emma Doyle (13 January 2023). "Greenwich 'finally gets a London Underground station' after film crew spotted building set for blockbuster movie". MyLondon . Archived from the original on 14 November 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  12. ↑ Ingham, Harry (6 February 2023). "Old Town transformed into Blitz Britain as filming starts for Apple TV". Hull Daily Mail . Archived from the original on 6 July 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  13. ↑ https://deadline.com/2024/11/hans-zimmer-blitz-composer-interview-sound-and-screen-1236165225/
  14. ↑ Ntim, Zac (1 July 2024). "Steve McQueen's 'Blitz' To Open London Film Festival As World Premiere". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on 11 July 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  15. ↑ "Blitz". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved 5 December 2024. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  16. ↑ "Blitz". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  17. ↑ Bradshaw, Peter (9 October 2024). "Blitz review – Steve McQueen's rousing wartime adventure is surprisingly old-fashioned". www.theguardian.com. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  18. ↑ Maltin, Leonard (23 November 2024). "BLITZ: UNLIKE ANYTHING WE'VE SEEN BEFORE". leonardmaltin.com. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  19. ↑ Bolter, Kylie (19 November 2024). "Review: Blitz". www.chicagoreader.com. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  20. ↑ Travers, Peter (15 November 2024). "Review: Blitz finds its grieving heart and a spirit that soars". ABC News . Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  21. ↑ Romel, Stephen (14 November 2024). "Steve McQueen's wartime drama Blitz has stark beauty and a gripping story". The Australian . Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  22. ↑ Lewis, Hilary (19 September 2024). Moody, Nekesa Mumbi (ed.). "Montclair Film Festival: Conclave to Open, The Piano Lesson to Close, Unstoppable as Fiction Centerpiece (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . ISSN   0018-3660. OCLC   44653726 . Retrieved 23 September 2024. …Montclair Film will honor Nightbitch director Marielle Heller with the festival's Director Award, after a screening of her film about Amy Adams 's mother character…
  23. ↑ —. "The Montclair Film Festival Announces 2024 Opening, Closing, Centerpiece, Honors, & Creator Spotlight | Montclair Film". montclairfilm.org. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  24. ↑ Willman, Chris (6 November 2024). "Hollywood Music in Media Awards Noms Led by 'Emilia Pérez' and 'Blitz,' With Elton John, Hans Zimmer and Scores More Among the Nominees". Hollywood Music in Media Awards . Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  25. ↑ "STEVE McQUEEN TO RECEIVE THE EnergaCAMERIMAGE OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR AWARD – EnergaCAMERIMAGE 2024". camerimage.pl. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  26. ↑ "EnergaCAMERIMAGE 2024: BLITZ TO OPEN THIS YEAR'S FESTIVAL! – EnergaCAMERIMAGE 2024". camerimage.pl. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  27. ↑ Jones, Kate Erbland,Marcus (14 November 2024). "Denis Villeneuve, Pamela Anderson, Steve McQueen, and More to Be Celebrated at IndieWire Honors". IndieWire. Retrieved 15 November 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  28. ↑ Richlin, Harrison (8 December 2024). "'Anora' Wins Best Picture from Los Angeles Film Critics Association — Winners List". IndieWire . Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  29. ↑ Neglia, Matt (8 December 2024). "The 2024 Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  30. ↑ "The Critics Choice Association Announces Full Slate of Honorees for the 7th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema and Television – Critics Choice Awards" . Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  31. ↑ Evans, Greg (12 December 2024). "Conclave And Wicked Lead Critics Choice Awards Film Nominations – Full List". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  32. ↑ "2024 Nominees | International Press Academy" . Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  33. ↑ "25th Annual Black Reel Awards Nominees". Black Reel Awards. 19 December 2024. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  34. ↑ Pedersen, Erik (18 December 2024). "Society Of Composers & Lyricists Cues Up 2025 SCL Awards Nominations". Deadline . Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  35. ↑ Rice, Lynette (17 December 2024). "'Wicked' & 'Gladiator II' Among Film Nominees For 40th Annual Artios Awards; Casting Nods Also Go To 'Saturday Night' & 'Moana 2". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 17 December 2024.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.