Ian McKellen’s MR HOLMES To Open Friday July 17 in Select US Theaters

Photo credit: Giles Keyte

Roadside Attractions and Miramax announced on Wednesday that director Bill Condon’s MR HOLMES will be released Friday, July 17 in select US theaters.

MR HOLMES is a new twist on the world’s most famous detective. 1947, an aging Sherlock Holmes returns from a journey to Japan, where, in search of a rare plant with powerful restorative qualities, he has witnessed the devastation of nuclear warfare. Now, in his remote seaside farmhouse, Holmes faces the end of his days tending to his bees, with only the company of his housekeeper and her young son, Roger. Grappling with the diminishing powers of his mind, Holmes comes to rely upon the boy as he revisits the circumstances of the unsolved case that forced him into retirement, and searches for answers to the mysteries of life and love – before it’s too late.

Laura Linney, Hiroyuki Sanada, Hattie Morahan, Patrick Kennedy, Roger Allam, Frances de la Tour, Phil Davis and newcomer Milo Parker also star. The film reunites McKellen with director Bill Condon after their collaboration on the Academy Award-winning GODS AND MONSTERS.

The compelling screenplay by Jeffrey Hatcher wasn’t the only draw for McKellen. His experience making GODS AND MONSTERS with Bill Condon was so enjoyable that he jumped at the chance of reteaming with the director on this new project. “As soon as Bill mentioned he had a script I said when do we start,” laughs the actor. “Gods and Monsters was one of the great joys of my life and this had a whiff of the memories of making that film – it was a short filming period as an independent film on a striking subject so it was irresistible before I’d even opened the script. And that it was being shot in England was very appealing to me as I’d been away for such a long time.”

MR HOLMES below the line team includes editor and long time collaborator Virginia Katz (GOD AND MONSTERS, KINSEY, DREAMGIRLS), Tobias Schliessler – director of photography (DREAMGIRLS, LONE SURVIVOR), Martin Childs – production designer (SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, THE SECOND BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL, currently designing THE CROWN, directed by Stephen Daldry and Philip Martin), Keith Madden  – costume designer (THE WOMAN IN BLACK), with a score by Carter Burwell (GODS AND MONSTERS).

For more on the film, visit:
http://facebook.com/mrholmesfilm
http://twitter.com/mrholmesfilm (@mrholmesfilm)
http://instagram.com/mrholmesfilm (@mrholmesfilm)

Credit: Agatha A. Nitecka, Courtesy of Miramax and Roadside Attractions