A new film by Mike Leigh is pretty big deal — at least for us — especially considering “Peterloo” is his first effort since 2014’s “Mr. Turner.” However, there’s been somewhat of a shroud of secrecy on the movie, the most ambitious of the director’s career.
READ MORE: Hand-Painted, Hard-Won ‘Loving Vincent’ [Review]
Starring Maxine Peake, Pearce Quigley, Philip Jackson, Karl Johnson, Tim McInnerny and David Moorst, the historical drama will tell the story of the infamous 1819 massacre at a peaceful pro-democracy rally at St Peter’s Field in Manchester, when many working people were injured and killed. A cast of over 100 actors has been assembled, and it’s probably a safe bet that many might perish as the narrative unfolds, so perhaps that’s why everyone is being cagey about listing them out. Cinematographer Dick Pope is lensing the picture, so it’s guaranteed to look gorgeous.
No release date yet for “Peterloo,” though 2018 is a safe bet, and I’d presume Cannes is already jockeying for the World Premiere.