“Serenity” marks the third feature directorial outing for Steven Knight. The writer’s work (including “Eastern Promises” and “Peaky Blinders”) is known for its subdued intensity in stories of men facing crisis. Knight first showcased his directing chops with the not so subtly titled Jason Statham flick “Redemption.” After his excellent collaboration with Tom Hardy on the brilliantly restrained follow-up “Locke,” Knight is serving up his most ambitious film yet. Traveling to the Caribbean for a mysterious story about a fishing boat captain, his newest masculine muse is Matthew McConaughey.
Last seen in the messy blockbuster “The Dark Tower,” McConaughey is back with what looks to be another deliciously gritty performance reminiscent of his character in “Mud.” “Serenity” sees McConaughey reunite with his “Interstellar” co-pilot Anne Hathaway. The two look to have excellent chemistry alongside a fantastic supporting cast featuring Diane Lane, Djimon Hounsou, Jason Clarke, and Jeremy Strong. The film is also scored by “Blade Runner 2049” co-composer Benjamin Walfisch — another aspect to look forward to.
The project was shaping up to be one of the more intriguing fall releases this year, at least when first announced, but the film failed to generate heat when its first trailer arrived and was subsequently delayed by a few months. Produced by Guy Heeley and Greg Shapiro, Aviron Pictures bought the rights to the film earlier this year and quickly set an awards-season release date, but that plan quickly died out.
Here’s the official synopsis:
Serenity: A fishing boat captain’s (Matthew McConaughey) mysterious past, in the form of a glamorous woman (Anne Hathaway), crashes up against his simple life on a small island in the Caribbean and ensnares him in a new reality that might not be all it seems.
Knight recently said in an interview that he wanted to make “something unexpected and surprising. I wanted to take the genre and upend it.” Hopefully, he does so, and this could be a film many look forward to as awards season rolls around.
Originally slated for release on October 19 of this year, “Serenity” was quietly moved to 2019 sometime in the fall. The movie is now set to set sail into theaters on January 25, 2019. – Ray Freedman