BURBANK, Calif. (January 25, 2023) – From acclaimed filmmaker Sam Mendes (1917, sky fall) comes the move and Academy Award®* nominated realm of light. Set in a fading cinema in an English seaside town in the 1980s, this deeply personal tale of love, friendship and compassion has been described as “an achingly beautiful film – the best Sam Mendes ever made” (Richard Lawson, vanity fair) and features an acclaimed performance by Olivia Colman as a cinema executive coping with mental health issues. The film is out February 7th on digital and February 21st on Blu-ray and DVD, with never-before-seen bonus content starring Sam Mendes and the cast, which uncovers the origins of the story and the director’s love for cinema.
*Best Camera, 2023
movie synopsis
From director/writer Sam Mendes (“1917” and “Skyfall”), Empire of Light is a moving drama about the power of human connection in turbulent times. Set in and around a faded old cinema in an English seaside 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 the provincial town where he faces daily adversities. Both Hilary and Stephen find a sense of belonging through their unlikely and tender relationship and experience the healing power of music, cinema and community.
bonus material*
featurette
- Create realm of light – Go behind the scenes of this personal film starring writer-director Sam Mendes and discover the origins of the story and the director’s love of cinema. See how the perfect location was found to rebuild a classic cinema that left the cast in awe.
*Bonus features vary by product and retailer
Pour
Olivia Colman as Hilary
Michael Ward as Stephen
Colin Firth as Mr Ellis
Toby Jones as Norman
Directed by
Sam Mendes
Produced by
Pippa Harris
Sam Mendes
Executive Produced by
Michael Lerman
Julia Pastor
Written by
Sam Mendes
Music of
Atticus Ross, Trent Reznor
Product Specifications
street date
Digital: February 7, 2023
Physical: February 21, 2023
Product SKUs
Digital: UHD, HD, SD
Physical: Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + Digital Code) & DVD
feature runtime
115 minutes
valuation
US rated R
**For sexual content, language and brief violence. Bonus material not rated.
aspect ratio
Digital: 2.39:1
Physical: 2.39:1
US audio
Blu-ray: English 5.1 DTS-HDMA, English AD 2.0 Dolby Digital
DVD: English 5.1 Dolby, English AD 2.0 Dolby
Digital: Dolby Atmos, 5.1 & 2.0 Dolby Digital, English Descriptive Audio 2.0 Dolby Digital (some platforms), Spanish 5.1 & 2.0 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 & 2.0 Dolby Digital
US subtitles
Blu-ray: English SDH, Spanish, French
DVD: English SDH, Spanish, French
Digital: English SDH, French, Spanish (some platforms)
