Andrew Scott and Olivia Colman will open this year’s BFI London Film Festival with the European premiere of their film Elsinore.

The opening night gala for the British capital’s starriest festival will take place on Oct. 7, with cast members Scott, Colman, Billie Piper, Johnny Flynn, Luke Thompson, Peter Mullan and Joe Locke all expected to attend. They’ll be joined by Monica Dolan, Juliet Stevenson, Adeel Akhtar, Matthew Beard, David Dawson, Kadiff Kirwan, and Dickie Beau, who also star in Elsinore, from The Dig director Simon Stone.

The feature, written by BAFTA winner Stephen Beresford (Pride), is based on the life of Ian Charleson. It follows the actor’s final weeks before his death from AIDS, playing Hamlet at London’s National Theatre in the 1990s. Daniel Day-Lewis had abruptly pulled out mid-performance, forcing Charleson to step in and save the day. Bridgerton star Thompson described the film to THR as “a real love letter to theater.” He said earlier this year: “Every time I tell the story, I get shivers.” The London Film Festival screening is made especially poignant for audiences with the Royal Festival Hall just a stone’s throw from the National Theatre.

THR broke the news of Scott and Colman’s Fleabag reunion on Elsinore earlier this year. The Irish actor is also a producer on the film, alongside Andrea Occhipinti of Lucky Red with Gabrielle Tana of Magnolia Mae Films, Pete Shilaimon and Mickey Liddell of LD Entertainment, and Stefano Massenzi and Carolyn Marks Blackwood.

Stone said the team “couldn’t be prouder to present this quintessentially London film on the opening night of the BFI London Film Festival.”

He continued about Charleson: “Ian Charleson had many of his greatest triumphs on the stages of the West End, at the Young Vic and of course the National, where he ended his short but dazzling career playing an unforgettable Hamlet. We are so lucky to have Andrew Scott, a London Hamlet himself, breathing delicate inspiring life into this beautiful story. I can’t wait to share it with the hometown audience.”

Kristy Matheson, BFI London Film Festival artistic director, added: “Anchored by Andrew Scott’s astounding central performance, few films will leave a lasting imprint on audiences this year quite like Elsinore. Stephen Beresford’s script offers a richly drawn world from which director Simon Stone and his exceptional ensemble of some of the U.K.’s greatest talents vividly bring the story of renowned actor Ian Charleson to the screen.”

StudioCanal releases Elsinore in U.K. cinemas on Jan. 29 2027. Focus Features has acquired Elsinore for the U.S. to release in select theaters on Nov. 20 2026.

The 2026 BFI London Film Festival runs from Oct. 7-18.

EXCLUSIVE: French film company Pathé has acquired a 50% stake in Benelux distributor The Searchers in a strategic partnership extending its activities in the territory.

Up until now, Pathé’s presence in Benelux has focused on exhibition via its subsidiaries Pathé Belgium and Pathé Netherlands, which run some 40 cinemas with close to 300 screens across the territory.

Pathé said the strategic partnership would enable it said to become active in film distribution in the territory, in the vein of its distribution operations in France and Switzerland.

 “This strategic investment empowers us to further strengthen our offerings in the Netherlands and Belgium. Just like Pathé successfully distributes films in France and Switzerland, expanding to distribution in the Benelux is a natural step,” said Pathé Chairman Jérôme Seydoux.

“Through this partnership, we can bring films produced by Pathé Films more successfully and reach a larger audience. This aligns perfectly with our ambition to deliver the best films and customer experiences.”

The company added that the partnership would enable Pathé Netherlands and Pathé Belgium to program films produced by Pathé Films more effectively but noted that both entities remained committed to working with other distributors in the territory.

At the same time, the partnership will enrich The Searchers slate.

The Antwerp and Amsterdam-based company, which celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, is known in L.A. circles for its elevated English-language acquisitions and strong relationships with the likes of Rocket Science, Black Bear, The Veterans and Neon.

Recent English-language releases have included films such as Roofman, Conclave, Ballerina, Hot Milk, Splitsville and The Salt Path.

The company will carry on working with these types of films while also handling Pathé titles, kicking off with its recent release of Pathé’s ambitious Charles de Gaulle duology: De Gaulle: Tilting Iron and De Gaulle: The Sovereign Edge.

“Pathé is a legendary film company that embodies cinema in every fiber of its being while aiming to excel as a modern business in every aspect of the industry,” said The Searchers co-founder and Managing Director Olivier van den Broeck.

“This makes Pathé an exceptional yet natural partner for The Searchers moving forward. By adding Pathé Films to our strong and carefully curated release slate, we considerably increase our impact and expand our offering. Together, we strengthen our unique position as a leading independent distributor of both popular commercial films and distinctive auteur cinema.”

The expansion into distribution in Benelux comes at a busy time for Pathé in the wake of its 2025 deal with French-Lebanese logistics tycoon Rodolphe Saadé, which saw his whose family holding company Merit France took a 20% stake in the studio.

Of late, the company has been ratcheting up its English-language production capabilities, alongside continuing to make French-language films, with the reopening of its film arm in UK, as well as the creation of Emotion Pictures in May, a joint venture with Vendôme Pictures aimed at making English-language features with broad appeal.