A fever dream or an alternate reality? It’s difficult to say when you are too caught up in the glitz and glam of the swinging sixties, so much so that all you don’t realize what’s real and what’s not. That’s why, be careful what you wish for, as it becomes obvious in Last Night in Soho.
The psychological thriller is the brainchild of British filmmaker Edgar Wright. After his previous acclaimed works like Baby Driver, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and, perhaps most popularly, Shaun of the Dead, Wright brings this glamorous yet terrifying tale that takes you back to the 60s West End nightlife. Eloise (Thomasin Mckenzie), a fashion student comes to London and gets transported to 1966, where she encounters a nightclub singer, Sandie (Anya Taylor Joy). Sounds exciting? Wait till you see her get all wrapped up into strange and horrifying things, hidden behind all the razzmatazz.
The movie is co-written and directed by Edgar Wright, who is also a co-producer on the same. Krysty Wilson-Cairns (1917) is the other co-writer on the project. Now, if you have already gotten intrigued by the story and the background, there’s more!
Read on, for we have put together everything we know so far about Last Night in Soho. From the release date to cast and character details, plot, and filming, here are all the latest updates on the upcoming thriller movie.
‘Last Night in Soho’ Trailer
Focus Features has released two official trailers for Last Night in Soho so far. The first trailer was released on May 25, 2021, which gives a glimpse into the life of Eloise, as she moves to London, and her encounter with Sandie and what it leads to. The neon-tinted scenes run with Petula Clark’s "Downtown" playing in the background.
The second trailer was released more recently, on September 8, 2021. This clip takes you a little further in the story and it appears that Eloise and Sandy have some kind of a psychic connection between the past and present and Eloise is a medium of some sort.
Between both the clips, the promos give you the best look at what to expect from this movie. Although it seems like a lot of the story is revealed, we are sure there are a lot more shocks and surprises in store in the movie.
When Is Last Night in Soho’s Release Date?
Last Night in Soho has its premiere on September 4, 2021, at the 78th Venice International Film Festival. The movie was also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival in September 2021. The movie was initially scheduled to be released on September 25, 2020. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic and delays resulting thereof, it was first postponed to April 23, 2021, then further pushing the date to October 22, 2021, and finally the weekend after.
As of the latest news, Last in Soho is all set to release in theaters on October 29, 2021. The movie will release across theaters in Ireland, the UK, and the US on the same day.
Who Is in Last Night in Soho’s Cast?
The cast list of Last Night in Soho, much like its plot, is quite fascinating, and worth detailing out. But what’s more interesting is that the cast members consist of popular actors from the current era as well as from the sixties, each a legend of their time.
The movie stars Thomasin McKenzie (Leave No Trace, Jojo Rabbit) as Eloise and Anya Taylor-Joy (Peaky Blinders, Queen’s Gambit) as Sandie in the leading roles. The other major cast members include Matt Smith (Doctor Who, The Crown), Michael Ajao (Attack the Block), Terence Stamp (Star Wars – The Phantom Menace, Superman), Diana Rigg (On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Game of Thrones), and Margaret Nolan (Goldfinger, A Hard Day’s Night).
The movie also marks the final on-screen appearances of Rigg and Nolan. Diana Riggs died in September 2020 and Margaret Nolan died in October 2020.
The other cast members of Last Night in Soho include Jessie Mei Li, Elizabeth Berrington, Rita Tushingham, James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Lisa McGrillis, and Synnove Karlsen, among others.
Who Are the Confirmed Characters in Last Night in Soho?
That is quite the cast list, isn't it? Well, the roles they play are even more fascinating. Here’s a quick look at the characters played by the cast of Last Night in Soho –
Thomasin McKenzie plays the leading lady Eloise Turner, who mysteriously time travels to 1966, specifically to a nightclub in Soho on West End. There she meets an intriguing singer named Sandie.
Anya Taylor-Joy plays Sandie, a glamorous nightclub singer and the woman who quickly becomes Eloise's idol. It's pretty clear from the trailers that she's a woman with a lot of hidden depths.
Matt Smith stars as Jack, Sandie’s love interest and possibly something more.
Terrence Stamp is the Silver Haired Gentleman, who seems to be quite taken by Eloise and shows a keen interest in the young woman.
Michael Ajao stars as John, Eloise's friend and confidante with whom she shares all the details of her fantastical experiences.
Diana Rigg plays the role of Miss Collins, the landlady of the London apartment where Eloise is living.
As for the other characters, there’s Rita Tushingham as Peggy Turner, Eloise's grandmother, Jessie Mei Li as Lara, Synnøve Karlsen as Jocasta, James, and Oliver Phelps as Charles and Ben, among others.
When Did Last Night in Soho Complete Filming?
The filming of Last Night in Soho started in May 2019 and was wrapped up in August 2019. Later, Edgar Wright shared more updates on his social handles which showed that there was additional filming that began in June 2020 and ended in August 2020. The movie is ready for its release in October 2021.
What is the background of Last Night in Soho?
Now, here’s a little trivia that will surprise you, in a good way of course! The title of Last Night in Soho was suggested to Wright by none other than Quentin Tarantino. There’s a 1968 hit single by the English pop band Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich which Tarantino believes is the "best title music for a film that's never been made”. The movie was originally supposed to be titled Red Light Area and then The Night Has a Thousand Eyes.
Coincidentally, earlier movies with the very same names already exist. So, eventually, Edgar Wright renamed the movie after the 1968 hit and Quentin Tarantino’s suggestion. Pretty cool right?
When Is Last Night in Soho Set?
Director and creator Edgar Wright reportedly cited classic psychological horrors from the 60s and 70s, like Repulsion, Rosemary’s Baby, and Don’t Look Now as his inspiration for Last Night in Soho. Also, the trailer and the plot mention time travel to 1966. So, it’s obvious that the story is set in the present with a throwback to the sixties, where most of the action takes place. And most likely, the story goes back and forth in the timeline, similar to Midnight in Paris (albeit with much darker consequences). Sounds like quite a ride!
What Is Last Night in Soho’s Story?
From all we have seen, read, and heard so far, it looks like Last Night in Soho has all the ingredients of an intense psychological thriller. So be prepared for lots of action, plot twists, edge-of-the-seat moments, and perhaps some violence and gore.
According to the official plot summary, “Eloise, an aspiring fashion designer, is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s where she encounters a dazzling wannabe singer, Sandie. But the glamour is not all it appears to be and the dreams of the past start to crack and splinter into something far darker.”
But we can go a little further and deeper into the story. So, here it goes.
The movie follows the story of a young fashion design student, Eloise Turner. She travels all the way to London and joins a fashion school, aspiring to become a famous designer someday. She is like any other young woman today but has an uncanny sixth sense. One night, she finds herself transported across time and space to a Soho nightclub in 1966, where she meets the iconic singer of that time, Sandie.
Eloise is enamored by the dazzling life of the 60s and gets smitten by Sandie. From being transported into a different era to getting transported into Sandie’s body, Eloise’s life turns into a living dream (or possibly a nightmare). But her actions have consequences and Eloise has a price to pay for living her dream.
The more she experiences, the more she realizes that under all the color and glam lies something more sinister and nothing is as she had anticipated. With every turn of events, things get more complicated until her life takes a dark turn, traumatizing and terrifying Eloise out of her wits.
So, is there something supernatural in play here or just her mind playing games? Is this a horror movie or simply horrifying? You won't know until you know! And the only way to get the answers to all your questions and find out what happens to Eloise is to watch the movie when it comes to theaters near you.