Guy Pearce will play news magnate Rupert Murdoch in "Ink," a film by director Danny Boyle about the rise of the British tabloid The Sun. The drama, written by James Graham based on his 2017 play, will have its world premiere as the opening film of the Venice Film Festival on September 2.
Set in 1969, the story follows Murdoch's efforts to expand beyond Australia and his business partnership with British newspaper editor Larry Lamb, whom he hires to revamp The Sun. The film explores how the two men used populist and sensationalist reporting and photographs of female models to build the tabloid into one of Britain's largest newspapers.
Pearce will star opposite Jack O'Connell, who previously worked with Boyle on "28 Years Later." Claire Foy plays a fictional female reporter created as a composite of various women journalists who worked at The Sun during the period.
Graham's original stage play was acclaimed by critics; Bertie Carvel won Olivier and Tony Awards for playing Murdoch in West End and Broadway productions. The film is produced by StudioCanal, Media Res, and House Productions.
"Ink" will open in select theaters on December 11 and premiere on Netflix in the United States and Latin America on January 8. StudioCanal will distribute the film in European territories, Australia, and New Zealand.
