“Soho” is Wright’s first directorial effort since his action romance “Baby Driver,” which became his top-grossing film to date in both the U.S. ($107 million) and worldwide ($226 million). The official “Last Night in Soho” synopsis from Focus Features reads: “Edgar Wright’s psychological thriller about a young girl, passionate in fashion design, who is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s where she encounters her idol, a dazzling wannabe singer. But 1960s London is not what it appears, and time seems to fall apart with shady consequences…” In the new trailer, Thomasin McKenzie plays a fashion student — check out that Northern English accent — who moves to London and finds herself being transported back in time to the 1960s (specifically 1965 because of “Thunderball” being on the marquee?) where she’s literally in the shoes of a mod diva (Anya Taylor-Joy) who ends up getting murdered. Using this strange portal to the past, McKenzie is able to try to solve the crime more than half a century later. And the London tough (Matt Smith) she sees menacing Taylor-Joy appears to be played in the present by none other than ’60s London icon Terence Stamp (“The Collector,” “Far from the Madding Crowd,” “Superman II”).
The film was originally set to debut in 2020, but the pandemic led Focus Features to move the film into a 2021 release. Wright told IndieWire at Sundance earlier this year that the release delays for the film did not bother him, as he’ll happily wait for the film to open when it can in movie theaters. “Me and the producers were behind the push, and Universal and Focus were in agreement,” Wright said. “They feel as well that we want to at least give it the chance to be in theaters and see it as it was intended to be. Obviously people will be able to watch it at home eventually. I saw a headline that said, ‘”Soho” Delayed for Second Time to October,’ but the more positive spin is ‘”Soho” to Be in Theaters.’ That’s how I see it. I’d happily wait if there’s a chance to see it on the big screen because that’s how it was made to be seen. I, along with the rest of the planet, hope for the vaccine to gather momentum.” In addition to McKenzie and Taylor-Joy, the ensemble cast includes Smith, Stamp, the late Diana Rigg, and Rita Tushingham. “Soho” is the second Wright film released by Focus Features this year. The director’s documentary “The Sparks Brothers,” focused on the art pop band led by Ron and Russell Mael, was released by the distributor last month after it premiered to raves at Sundance. Taylor-Joy has been busy since starring in the surprise Netflix smash “The Queen’s Gambit.” She’s also starring in Robert Eggers’ “The Northman,” due out next year, along with a “Nosferatu” remake helmed by the director, whom she first worked with on “The Witch” in 2015, which marked both of their feature debuts.
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