For the first time in a decade, Tom Ford is stepping behind the camera to direct a daring new film. “Cry to Heaven” follows the heartbreaking lives of young Italian opera singers in the 1700s. Among the ensemble cast is Adele, who will make her acting debut in the company of Nicholas Hoult (“Nosferatu”), Colin Firth (“The King’s Speech”), Hunter Schafer (“Euphoria”), and Thandiwe Newton (“Westworld”). Ford will write, direct, and produce the feature film, which is set to begin production in early 2026. Here’s everything else we know about “Cry to Heaven.”
JUMP TO
The film is inspired by the 1982 novel of the same name by Anne Rice. Rice is best known for her Vampire Chronicles novel series, which began in 1976 with “Interview With the Vampire.”
Set in 18th-century Italy, the story is about the tragic world of the “castrati,” young male opera singers whose voices were preserved as sopranos through castration. At the center of the Baroque-era tale are two protagonists: Guido Maffeo, a gifted but penniless castrato from Calabria, and Tonio Treschi, a young Venetian nobleman whose life is soon turned upside down. Despite their vastly different backgrounds, Guido and Tonio discover a shared passion for music that leads to an unexpected bond. As the story explores the dark side of the operatic world, it touches on themes of identity, revenge, betrayal, love, and triumph.
The film’s star-studded cast includes:
- Adele
- Nicholas Hoult
- Colin Firth
- Aaron Taylor-Johnson
- Hunter Schafer
- Owen Cooper
- Ciarán Hinds
- Thandiwe Newton
- Paul Bettany
- George MacKay
- Mark Strong
- Daryl McCormack
- Cassian Bilton
- Théodore Pellerin
- Lux Pascal
- Josephine Thiesen
- Daniel Quinn-Toye
- Hauk Hellestveit Hannemann
Ford will write, direct, and produce the film through his production company, Fade to Black Productions. “Cry to Heaven” is Ford’s third film (he previously directed 2016’s “Nocturnal Animals” and 2009’s “A Single Man”), and it’s his first project since stepping down from his fashion brand in 2022. Christopher Rice, Anne’s son, is also producing.
Casting for “Cry to Heaven” is already complete, with the film currently in preproduction. Principal photography is set to begin in early 2026.
But we’ve got the scoop on plenty of other greenlit projects and casting opportunities in the works, which you can check out below:
- Everything We Know About Blumhouse’s ‘Exorcist’ Movie, Starring Scarlett Johansson
- Everything We Know About Universal Pictures’ ‘The Mummy 4’
- Everything We Know About Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’ Film
- Everything We Know About ‘The Legend of Zelda’ Live-Action Film
- Everything We Know About Mandy Moore’s NFL Drama From ‘This Is Us’ Creator
Use these resources for acting advice and helpful audition tips:
An official date hasn’t been announced yet, but Deadline reports that “Cry to Heaven” could be slated for a late 2026 release. Stay tuned for updates and more details on Backstage once we have them.