Emma Thompson Set To Star In Brian Kirk's Action-Thriller, The Fisherwoman

Fresh off a standout performance in director Sophie Hyde's affecting drama, "Good Luck To You, Leo Grande," Emma Thompson is set to dramatically switch things up. The esteemed actress will soon play the role of "a widowed fisherman" who becomes involved in a teen's kidnapping in the action thriller "The Fisherwoman." Announced via Variety in early February, the film will be directed by Brian Kirk, who's known mostly for his work on TV shows including "Luther," "Dexter," and "Game of Thrones." And while little is known about the project at this time, it's intriguing if only for Thompson, who continues to make diverse and interesting role choices.

The actress has always sought out challenging projects. When asked for her advice to up-and-coming actors, she told BAFTA back in 2013, "Make your choices carefully and don't do things just because they might pay well, do the things that really interest you. Do mad, wild things. Go off and do strange things, develop yourself, challenge yourself." That's exactly what she's done for most of her career, with roles in everything from her acclaimed Jane Austen adaptation "Sense and Sensibility" (1995), for which she won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, to starring opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in his cis male pregnancy comedy, "Junior."

Now, she's taking on the action genre, with a role that doesn't seem like something she or any other actress of her ilk would typically be associated with, but that's sort of the point and makes "The Fisherwoman" an intriguing prospect. If you're similarly intrigued, read on for all the info we have on the movie.

"The Fisherwoman" was only announced on Feb 1, 2023 and at this stage is very much in the pre-production stage. That means we don't yet have anything like a solid release date. In fact, we don't really have a rough release date. The movie already has backing from both American and international financiers and will be courting distributors at the European Film Market in Berlin this month. Otherwise, there's a while to go until the film actually debuts, but as soon as more information becomes available, we'll update this page.

The lack of solid release information also means details about where "The Fisherwoman" will launch remain elusive. The announcement didn't indicate whether the film will debut on streaming services or theatrically, but much of that will likely come down to whoever nabs the distribution rights. With a star of Thompson's caliber onboard, a theatrical release isn't off the cards completely, but her last movie, "Good Luck To You, Leo Grande" went to Hulu in the US and there's every chance the same could be true of "The Fisherwoman." For now, we'll have to wait for more details to come to light.

The announcement contained a brief description of "The Fisherwoman," which will see Thompson play, "a widowed fisherman who, while trapped in a Minnesotan blizzard, interrupts the kidnapping of a teenager and soon finds she is the young victim's only hope." Jon Berg, president of production at Stampede Ventures, is quoted as stating that Thompson's character displays the same "unique strength, grit, and intelligence" as the actress. This likely means we'll see the Minnesotan taking on the kidnappers and saving the teen from a tragic fate.

While that sort of action role might seem unusual for Thompson, that seems to be very much the draw. Speaking to the BBC, she was asked about her nude scene in "Good Luck To You, Leo Grande," saying:

"The reason people say it's brave is because it's not normalized. So that's all. The fact is we don't see normal bodies on the screen ever. It requires bravery because I live with a body that I don't like."

With "The Fisherwoman," it seems Thompson is trying to similarly normalize an older female actor starring in a gritty action thriller. Which frankly, we're all for.

Elsewhere, you can expect Brian Kirk to use the Minnesotan landscape to its full potential. On his first and only major feature, the Chadwick Boseman-starring "21 Bridges," the director used drones to capture the Manhattan cityscape, and will surely do something similar with "The Fisherwoman." In an interview for "21 Bridges," he spoke about, "The way the fabric of the city kind of just creeps into all of the images in a really beautiful way," and how the character of the city "authenticates the behavior of the actors." Expect to see the frozen environs of a blizzard-ravaged Minnesota play an equally significant role in "The Fisherwoman."

The only confirmed actor in "The Fisherwoman" is Emma Thompson, who is also set to take on executive producer duties. Beyond that, Brian Kirk is obviously confirmed to direct, and the film has been penned by Nicholas Jacobson-Larson and Dalton Leeb. That duo has, as Deadline reported, been hired to write the upcoming "Hot Wheels" movie from Warner Bros and J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot, alongside working on the sci-fi-action feature "The Fall" for Amblin Partners. According to the same outlet, that story will take place during an alien invasion, where "a newly divorced couple must survive a dangerous journey on foot from downtown Atlanta to the suburbs." 

That sounds very much in keeping with Jacobson-Larson and Leeb's sci-fi spec script, "Endurance," which they sold to Netflix back in 2020 and focuses on AI robots turning on each other while building a colony for humans on mars. Just what that means for "The Fisherwoman" remains to be seen, but the pair obviously have a penchant for penning high-stakes, tense, action thrillers so we'll expect something in that general area.

Further cast and crew for "The Fisherwoman" are yet to be confirmed. Variety listed Stampede Ventures as co-financiers of the film along with European companies Augenschein Filmproduktion, Film und Medienstiftung NRW, and German broadcaster ZDF. Beyond that, there's no information on behind-the-scenes developments, but we'll update this page with the latest details once there are.