What's better than a tale of excess and obsession against the backdrop of the sun-drenched English countryside? Nothing! Which is why Saltburn, starring Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan, is set to tickle all the fancies. The film, which will be out later this year, is Emerald Fennell's hotly awaited Promising Young Woman follow-up. The two boys, Keoghan on his own hot streak in the wake of an Oscar nomination for Martin McDonagh's Banshees of Inisherin, will be joined by Rosamund Pike, Promising lead Carey Mulligan and Richard E. Grant. Count us in.
Here's everything we know about Saltburn.
What is Saltburn about?
After months of being kept completely in the dark with only the prospect of Elordi and Keoghan sharing screentime to satiate the curiosity (it worked), we now have a few seeds of a plotline.
The word from test screenings – which have since been confirmed in a new trailer – is that Keoghan will play a Scouser who develops an infatuation with Elordi's wealthy aristocrat in the university town of Saltburn. Set in the early 2000s, it's said to be filled with early aughts pop bangers and all kinds of plot twists. We can maybe call it something like Fennell's take on The Talented Mr. Ripley. Count us all the way in!
Despite a lot of the story still being kept deliberately mysterious, some first-look images have been dropped. First, there's an aerial shot of the grandest of grand British manors, with what looks like Elordi and Keoghan sunning themselves on its opulent grounds. Then, there's another shot of Keoghan's back as he surveys the damage of what looks like some kind of Gatsby-esque party for the ages.
Who is starring in Saltburn?
Elordi and Keoghan are the stars above the banner for this one. Keoghan, a perennial supporting player, has himself been in the ascendancy over recent years, especially since his Oscar-nominated turn in The Banshees of Inisherin. He's also starred as The Joker in Matt Reeves' The Batman, and as part of the weighty ensemble in Chloe Zhao's Marvel flick Eternals. Elordi, on the other hand, has firmly solidified his status as a Hollywood hunk in recent years thanks to crowd-pleasing (and hating, but the good kind) roles in Euphoria and The Kissing Booth trilogy. Next, he'll play Elvis Presley in Sofia Coppola's Priscilla, but hopefully, he'll come out unscathed and unaccented, unlike Austin Butler.
Carey Mulligan is the only holdover from Promising Young Woman announced so far, with that Fennell collaboration seeing her pick up a swathe of awards nominations for her performance. Either way, with an ensemble of heavyweights following up one of the more eye-catching — if divisive — debuts of the past half-decade, we're only expecting great things.
Elsewhere, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, Archie Madekwe and Alison Oliver will co-star. Fennell will helm as the director and writer and will team up again with her Barbie co-star, Margot Robbie, who acts as producer.
Is there a Saltburn trailer?
After a short teaser that was cruelly minuscule in its offering, we've finally been given a full trailer that welcomes us through the grand mahogany doors of Saltburn Manor. Highlights include: Jacob Elordi's English accent, creepy, shadowy mansion hallways and Carey Mulligan in a fantastic wig.
When will Saltburn be released?
Distributed by Amazon and MGM, Saltburn will get the classic double release with a limited run from the 24th of November before a wide release the following week.
However, before then, it will also open the BFI London Film Festival in October. Speaking about kicking off the iconic festival, Fennell said: “I'm honoured that our film is able to open this year's BFI London Film Festival. It is a festival that inspired me so much growing up, one that I followed excitedly from my bedroom on the other side of London. It feels extra-special that Saltburn, this very British tale of excess, is able to make its international debut at the wonderful BFI.”
Likely, at some point, it will eventually end up on Prime Video too, but as of right now, there's no official date. Still, with its bid for cinematic glory and festival prestige, we smell an Oscar run!
