Olivia Colman to star in 'Empire of Light'

Ace filmmaker Sam Mendes has found the leading lady for his next project 'Empire of Light' in Oscar-winning actor Olivia Colman.

As per Variety, Mendes, after his Oscar-winning drama '1917', is teaming up with Searchlights Pictures for his next project titled 'Empire of Light', with Colman set to star in the film.

The upcoming drama is aiming for a fall 2022 release. The project is described as a love story set in and around a beautiful old cinema on the South Coast of England in the 1980s.

Apart from directing the film, Mendes will also produce the project with Pippa Harris via Neal Street Productions. After co-writing '1917' with Krysty Wilson-Cairns, 'Empire of Light' will mark Mendes' first solo outing as a screenwriter.

The filmmaker has also brought legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins into the fold, who won an Oscar for best cinematography last year at the Academy Awards for his work in '1917'.

The war epic, which was nominated for best picture, generated a lot of buzz for seamlessly connecting a series of extended takes to look as if the whole film was one continuous shot. Mendes and Deakins also worked together on 'Skyfall' and 'Revolutionary Road'.

Speaking about the forthcoming film, Mendes said, "I have long been an admirer of Searchlight and the dynamic way they have produced and released some of my favourite theatrical releases of recent years."

He added, "This project is very close to my heart, and I couldn't be more delighted that it has found its ideal home."

'Empire of Light' will be overseen by Matthew Greenfield and David Greenbaum, Presidents of Production, Film and Television, and Head of Development and Production, Searchlight Pictures UK Katie Goodson-Thomas.

Meanwhile, Colman is currently nominated for an Oscar in the best category for her work in 'The Father'. The role has already garnered her nominations for a BAFTA, Golden Globe, SAG, and Critics Choice Award.

The actor's work in Yorgos Lanthimos' 'The Favourite' earned her a best-supporting Oscar and she earned rave reviews for her performance as Queen Elizabeth II in the third and fourth seasons of the hit Netflix series 'The Crown'.

Mendes, who got his start as a theatre director, recently returned to that world with 'The Lehman Trilogy' and 'The Ferryman'. The latter earned him an Olivier Award for best director for the West End production while the Broadway iteration snagged him a Tony Award.

( With inputs from ANI )