Opening in theaters on November twenty eighth is the brand new drama ‘The Factor with Feathers’, which relies on the e-book ‘Grief Is the Issues with Feathers’ by writer Max Porter and was directed by Dylan Sothern (‘Meet Me within the Toilet’) starring Benedict Cumberbatch (‘Physician Unusual’).
Launch Date: Nov 28, 2025
Run Time: 1 hr 44 min
Finances: $6,000,000
Moviefone not too long ago had the pleasure of talking with Benedict Cumberbatch about his work on ‘The Factor with Feathers’, his first response to the screenplay, how he emotionally ready for the function, collaborating on set with director Dylan Sothern, and the challenges of working with younger actors on a movie like this.
Benedict Cumberbatch stars in ‘The Issues with Feathers’.
You may watch the total interview beneath or click on on the video participant above to look at our interview.
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(L to R) Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Boxall and Henry Boxall in ‘The Factor with Feathers’. Photograph: Vue Lumière.
Moviefone: To start with, are you able to discuss your first response to studying the screenplay and the way in which Dylan Southern tailored Max Porter’s e-book about coping with grief.
Benedict Cumberbatch: I believed it was terribly magical. It is a sort of unadaptable e-book due to its nonlinear narrative, they’re unreliable bits of narration in it the place the boys are all of a sudden outdated males trying again in time after which there is a Crow, and the way in which the phrases are spaced and the way that complete factor is, and he did it. It was this unbelievable learn, and a lot of the flavour of the e-book was there that I forgot that the e-book wasn’t what I used to be studying. I used to be offered on that, after which I used to be like, who’s Dylan Southern? I watched his documentaries, and I might seen ‘Meet Me within the Toilet’ earlier than the LCD Sound System film (‘Shut Up and Play the Hits’). The purpose is, it turned a friendship and a trusting one and the collaboration got here thick and quick after that and away we went.
MF: What was Dylan Southern like as a director to collaborate with on set?
BC: Unfazed within the inevitable onslaught of compromise {that a} small unbiased, low-budget movie has with youngsters concerned, with an animatronic head that went fallacious, with a small set, with the crowded crew, and the restricted time to shoot. I imply, he simply meant all of it with a smile. He was an issue solver; he was a finest buddy and a beautiful first viewers behind the digicam and he was somebody I may belief with my issues or anxieties about what I used to be doing and know that he’d be capable of create an area for me to get to those susceptible locations. He is an amazing director. I’m very excited to see the place he goes subsequent.
(L to R) Richard Boxall, Henry Boxall and Benedict Cumberbatch in ‘The Factor with Feathers’. Photograph: Vue Lumière.
MF: You’ve got many susceptible locations that you will need to go to emotionally on this movie. As an actor, how do you put together for these scenes?
BC: Fascinating. I simply constructed the world that is not there. You recognize, it is a very iterative piece. I am referred to as Dad. They’re referred to as Boys. Crow is named Crow, and Mum is Mum, and he or she’s not in it. She’s only a determine in it, a silhouette and a physique at one level, however you do not see her face and that is the entire level. When she does seem and he or she’s received a voice, she’s in a ghost costume, which is sort of an irony of that second as a result of it is a Halloween scene, a flashback to completely happy occasions. The purpose is, I needed to construct this world that I may see, that I may entry, and the set was useful for that. Additionally, we had the boys recording of their voiceover for his or her part of the movie, which is available in and to have that sense of loss from these extraordinary non appearing youngsters. You recognize, they’d by no means been on a set earlier than, Richard and Henry Boxall, they’re twin brothers. It was a direct set off into the house of grief and loss and ache to listen to these voices speaking about their mum and what they missed, and the way they discovered their dad had modified and the way it was warping him. Then different issues would simply ground me unexpectedly as a result of they’re so common, folding bins of garments away, taking them off a hanger, the empty house the place as soon as an individual’s artifacts existed and that factor of holding on after which letting go, simply grieving over again. They have been fascinating moments, and that was that was certainly one of them, you understand, a number of scenes the place dad breaks down and weeps, dad howls, and pa cries. You have to attempt to ignore these stage instructions and discover it. However I usually dive deep into my psyche to get one thing of myself and this one, I used to be simply taking care of myself and simply ensuring I may put it to mattress at evening.
MF: Lastly, are you able to speak in regards to the challenges of working with youngsters on a movie as darkish as this one? How did you navigate working with them?
BC: Difficult as a mother or father, as a producer as effectively, and as a fellow actor, however that is what I used to be for them. I used to be additionally a buddy and a playmate. It was ensuring they’d the experiences that seven-year-old youngsters ought to have on an grownup set with grownup themes and all of the safeguarding, and all the standard issues have been in place, and having a way of play. Reiterating that that is simply faux, and “I would get fairly offended now, however I like you guys.” I do not know what you concentrate on me, you most likely hate me, however anyway, I do not care. “I actually such as you and I simply must get offended as dad proper now, so simply be ready,” you understand, that sort of factor. Typically, as a result of they’re children, they only did not wish to do it. Then it was about how will we coaxed them out of that lethargy or that disinterest or boredom or no matter it may need been. Dylan is an unbelievable director, and as one of many compromises he stated, “I can perceive you do not wish to dress up in your Mum’s garments, put lipstick on and her earrings and do this hat dressing up factor. Okay, but when I do one thing that I do not actually wish to do, you could possibly do one thing to me if I if I get that from you, what would you do?” So, they received the lipstick, and so they wrote “Poo” on his brow and referred to as him “Weak Man” in entrance of the crew. Then we received this extraordinary highly effective scene within the movie. They turned up with the products and I am so keen on them. There was a number of levity and there was a number of gameplay and enjoyable off set as effectively. There have been soccer and cricket matches, and Lego constructing and all types of enjoyable. They’re terribly candy youngsters. I am very keen on them.
‘The Issues with Feathers’ opens in theaters on November twenty eighth.
What’s the plot of ‘The Factor with Feathers’?
Left to boost two younger sons after the surprising dying of his spouse, Dad’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) life begins to unravel. Grief is messy and chaotic sufficient as it’s, however when it takes the type of an unhinged and undesirable home visitor—Crow—taunting him from the shadows, issues begin to spiral uncontrolled… however perhaps that is precisely what Dad wants.
Who’s within the forged of ‘The Factor with Feathers’?
(L to R) Benedict Cumberbatch, and Leo Invoice in ‘The Factor with Feathers’. Photograph: Vue Lumière.