empire of light
In Theaters Everywhere: December 9, 2022
From Academy Award®-winning director and writer Sam Mendes, EMPIRE OF LIGHT is a moving drama about the power of human connection during turbulent times. Set in and around a faded old cinema in an English coastal town in the early 1980s, it follows Hilary (Olivia Colman) a cinema manager struggling with her mental health, and Stephen (Micheal Ward), a new employee who longs to escape this provincial town in which he faces daily adversity. Both Hilary and Stephen find a sense of belonging through their unlikely and tender relationship and come to experience the healing power of music, cinema, and community.
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Directed by
Sam Mendes
Screenplay by
Sam Mendes
Produced by
Pippa Harris
Sam Mendes
Cast
Olivia Colman
Micheal Ward
Tom Brooke
Tanya Moodie
Hannah Onslow
Crystal Clarke
with Toby Jones Colin Firth
DEBUG:
Current Time: 2026-08-12 10:20:58
Timezone: America/Los_Angeles
Publish Date: Not set
Current Time: 2026-08-12 10:20:58
Timezone: America/Los_Angeles
Publish Date: Not set
Videos
empire of light
Official Teaser Trailer
empire of light
Official Trailer
empire of light
Official Clip
empire of light
Official Clip
empire of light
Featurette
empire of light
Official Clip
empire of light
Official Clip
empire of light
Official Clip
empire of light
Featurette
DEBUG:
Current Time: 2026-08-12 10:20:58
Timezone: America/Los_Angeles
Publish Date: Not set
Current Time: 2026-08-12 10:20:58
Timezone: America/Los_Angeles
Publish Date: Not set
Images
Micheal Ward and Olivia Colman in the film EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
Micheal Ward and Olivia Colman in the film EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
Toby Jones and Micheal Ward in the film EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
Colin Firth and Micheal Ward in the film EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
Micheal Ward and Olivia Colman in the film EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
Micheal Ward in EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
Micheal Ward in EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
Olivia Colman in EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
Micheal Ward and Olivia Colman in EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
Olivia Colman and Tom Brooke in EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures.© 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
Olivia Colman in EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Photo by Parisa Taghizadeh, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
The cast of EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Photo by Parisa Taghizadeh, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
(From L-R): Micheal Ward, Olivia Colman and Toby Jones in EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
Olivia Colman and Micheal Ward in EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
Toby Jones and Olivia Colman in EMIRE OF LIGHT. Photo by Parisa Taghizadeh, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures.© 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
Olivia Colman in EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
Colin Firth and Olivia Colman in EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures.© 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
Micheal Ward in EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
Colin Firth in EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
Micheal Ward and Toby Jones in EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
Tanya Moodie in EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
Micheal Ward and Olivia Colman in the film EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
Olivia Colman and Sam Mendes on set of the film EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Photo by Parisa Taghizadeh, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
(From L-R): Micheal Ward, Sam Mendes and Olivia Colman on set of the film EMPIRE OF LIGHT. Photo by Parisa Taghizadeh, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.