Sam Mendes will direct Olivia Colman in Searchlight Pictures’ Empire Of Light, a period romance that takes place in and around an old cinema.

Should the deal push through, Empire of Light will be the British actress’ latest collaboration with Searchlight after 2018’s The Favourite. In addition, this will also mark the reunion project between Mendes and cinematographer Roger Deakins, who earned his second Oscar for his work on 1917.

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. Mendes is producing the film with Pippa Harris via Neal Street Productions. After co-writing “1917” with Krysty Wilson-Cairns, “Empire of Light” marks Mendes’ first solo outing as a screenwriter.

“Sam has written an exquisite cinematic drama that captured our hearts from page one. He is a masterful filmmaker, and we look forward to working with him, Pippa, and Roger and to reunite with the great Olivia on this truly special film,” Searchlight’s David Greenbaum and Matthew Greenfield said.

Source: Press Release