The Return (2024 film)

The Return
The Return
Directed by	Uberto Pasolini
Screenplay by	John Collee; Edward Bond; Uberto Pasolini;
Based on	The Odyssey; by Homer
Produced by	Uberto Pasolini; Roberto Sesso; Giorgos Karnavas; Konstantinos Kontovravkis; Stéphane Moatti; Romain Le Grand; Vivien Aslanian; Marco Pacchioni;
Starring	Ralph Fiennes; Juliette Binoche; Charlie Plummer;
Cinematography	Marius Panduru
Edited by	David Charap
Music by	Rachel Portman
Production; companies	Bleecker Street; Red Wave Films; HanWay Films; Heretic; Picomedia; Rai Cinema; Kabo Films; Marvelous Production;
Distributed by	01 Distribution (Italy)
Release date	September 7, 2024 (TIFF);
Running time	116 minutes
Countries	Italy; United Kingdom;
Language	English

The Return is a 2024 historical drama film directed by Uberto Pasolini and starring Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche. The film is a retelling of Homer's Odyssey as adapted by Edward Bond, John Collee and Pasolini.

It premiered in the Gala section at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2024 and will be theatrically released on December 6, 2024, in the United States by Bleecker Street.

Synopsis

Odysseus (Fiennes) washes up on the shores of his home island Ithaca after twenty years fighting in and returning from the Trojan War. Scarred by his experiences he is unrecognisable from the mighty warrior king that left, 20 years before. His wife Penelope (Binoche) is now a prisoner in her own home, hounded by many suitors to choose a new husband that would take the throne. Odysseus and Penelope's son Telemachus (Plummer) is facing death at the hands of those who see him as a threat to their ambitions. Odysseus is forced to face his past in order to save his family and win back that which he has lost.^[1]

Cast

Ralph Fiennes as Odysseus
Juliette Binoche as Penelope
Charlie Plummer as Telemachus
Tom Rhys Harries as Pisander
Marwan Kenzari as Antinous
Claudio Santamaria as Eumaeus
Ayman Al Aboud as Indius
Amir Wilson as Philoetius
Francesco Bianchi as Amphimedon
Nicolas Retrivi as Elenus
Bruno Cassandra as Promachus
Cosimo Desii as Eurydamus

Production

Development

The project was announced in April 2022. The script for the film was written by John Collee and Edward Bond. The film's director, Uberto Pasolini, and James Clayton produced the film. HanWay Films began handling international sales and took the project to the 2022 Cannes Film Festival.^[2] In February 2023 Bleecker Street were announced to have picked up North American rights and have Andrew Karpen and Kent Sanderson executive producing on the project. Roberto Sessa for Picomedia with Rai Cinema, Giorgos Karnavas and Konstantinos Kontovravkis for Heretic and Stéphane Moatti, Romain Le Grand, Vivien Aslanian and Marco Pacchioni for Kabo Films and Marvelous Production were also revealed as producers on the Italy-U.S.-Greece-U.K.-France co-production.^[3]

Casting

The film marks the third time Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche have appeared together following the 1996 Oscar winner The English Patient and 1992's Wuthering Heights.^[4] In February 2023, Charlie Plummer and Marwan Kenzari were added to the cast.^[5]^[6]

Filming

The film began production in Greece in the spring of 2023, with principal photography in the regions of Corfu and the Peloponnese, before continuing on to locations in Italy.^[7] Filming had wrapped in Corfu by June 2023.^[8]

Release

In July 2024, The Return was announced as part of the Gala section at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival scheduled for September 2024.^[9] The film is scheduled to be theatrically released on December 6, 2024, in the United States by Bleecker Street.^[10]