Empire of Light(2022)

Name: Empire of Light
Director: Sam Mendes
Genre: Drama, Romance
Released: Dec 9, 2022
Cast: Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Colin Firth

Searchlight Pictures

R
Rated R for sexual content, language and brief violence.
1h 55m
- Drama
- Romance

Release Date: Dec 9, 2022

A drama about the power of human connection during turbulent times, set in an English coastal town in the early 1980s.

Release Details

Original Release | Dec 9, 2022 | Limited

View Advanced Data Watch Trailer Watch on

Box Office Results

2025-02-02T04:03:49.652Z

Results

Opening Weekend US & Canada:
$163,405
Total US & Canada:
$1,177,577
Total International
$10,218,027
Total Worldwide:
$11,395,604

Current Showtimes

Theatres near you, nearest first

Location

Search radius

Director & Top Cast

Sam Mendes
Director

Olivia Colman
Hilary

Micheal Ward
Stephen

Colin Firth
Donald Ellis

Technical Specifications

Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

Aspect Ratio: 2.39 : 1

Other Details

Country of Origin: United Kingdom, United States

Language: English

Summaries

Storyline

Hilary (Olivia Colman) is a cinema manager struggling with her mental health, and Stephen (Micheal Ward) is a new employee longing to escape the provincial town where he faces daily adversity. Together they find a sense of belonging and experience the healing power of music, cinema, and community. Margate, England, 1980. As widespread unemployment and a rising wave of extremism plunge the seaside town and Margaret Thatcher 's Britain into recession, depressed Hilary sticks to her daily routine as the dutiful front-of-house manager at the Empire: a dying, golden-era movie palace. But even movies like All That Jazz (1979) and The Blues Brothers (1980) can't help lonely Hillary keep her inner demons at bay. And then, bright-eyed new employee Stephen suddenly enters the picture, shaking Hilary's troubled existence. If the celluloid-scented power of cinema can pave the way for meaningful human connection, is there still hope for the once majestic movie theatre? — Nick Riganas

Similar Movies

A Talent for Murder

Fatherland

Possible Love

Seniors

Wicker

Clean Hands

Headlines

Owen Wilson’s New Movie Officially Earns Record Low Box Office Debut

Screen Rant
07-Oct-2026

LEGO Reveals 3 New Batman Sets, Including A Joker Comic Cover & 2 Batmobiles

Screen Rant
07-Oct-2026

A Game Of Thrones Movie Seems Destined For Disappointment At The Box Office — Here's Why

Slash Film
07-Oct-2026

Empire of Light(2022)

Box Office Results

Results

Current Showtimes

Director & Top Cast

Sam Mendes

Olivia Colman

Micheal Ward

Colin Firth

Technical Specifications

Other Details

Summaries

Storyline

Similar Movies

A Talent for Murder

Fatherland

Possible Love

Seniors

Wicker

Clean Hands

Headlines

Owen Wilson’s New Movie Officially Earns Record Low Box Office Debut

LEGO Reveals 3 New Batman Sets, Including A Joker Comic Cover & 2 Batmobiles

A Game Of Thrones Movie Seems Destined For Disappointment At The Box Office — Here's Why

The Batman Part II Production Put On Hold As Director Matt Reeves Steps Away For Personal Reasons

David Zaslav Bids Farewell to Warner Bros. Employees in Video on Eve of Skydance Merger Close: ‘It’s Been a Great Honor to Be Alongside All of You’

‘The Social Reckoning’ First Reactions: A ‘Solid Sequel,’ ‘Good, Just Not Great Film’ and a ‘Harsh Assessment of Zuckerberg’

Skydance to Fully Reorganize International; Kevin MacLellan Will Not Lead Key Group

Pam Levine Exits Netflix as Marketing & Publicity VP (EXCLUSIVE)

Neon Sets ‘Artificial’ Oscar Campaign With Andrew Garfield in Supporting Actor, Yura Borisov in Lead (EXCLUSIVE)

Michael Douglas Weighs In on ‘Nepo Baby’ Debate, Says the Title ‘Really Pisses Me Off’

Andrew Garfield Says OpenAI’s Sam Altman Seemed ‘F—ing Great’ Before Playing Him in ‘Artificial’: ‘And Then You Learn More About a Person’

Hollywood Unions Warn of 25-Year Decline in U.S. Production Market Share