Tom Ford to Direct ‘Cry to Heaven’ Drama Starring Adele in Acting Debut

Tom Ford has a new film in the works, an adaptation of the Anne Rice novel Cry To Heaven that he will direct and produce.

Ford penned the screenplay and has a star-studded cast that includes Adele, making her acting debut, as well as Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ciarán Hinds, George MacKay, Mark Strong, Colin Firth, Paul Bettany and Owen Cooper. Also on board the drama set in 18th century Italy are Daniel Quinn-Toye, Hunter Schafer, Josephine Thiesen, Thandiwe Newton, Theodore Pellerin, Daryl McCormack, Cassian Bilton, Hauk Hannenmann and Lux ​​Pascal.

Rice’s 1982 Cry to Heaven novel centers on a Venetian noble and a maestro castrato, with both attempting to succeed in the opera world. Her novels have often been adapted as movies and TV series, including Interview With the Vampire, Mayfair Witches and Talamasca: The Secret Order.

Rice, who died in 2021 at the age of 80, during her writing career published over 40 novels and sold some 135 million copies, placing her among the most popular fantasy writers of all time. Rice adapted her first book, Interview With the Vampireinto the 1994 Warner Bros. movie starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, and six of her other novels, including Exit to Eden and Queen of the Damnedwere turned into movies or telefilms as well.

Ford will produce the Cry to Heaven adaptation, unveiled at the American Film Market, through his Fade To Black production banner. The adaptation is in preproduction in London and Rome and set for the cameras to roll starting in mid-January. An autumn 2026 release is scheduled.

Ford wrote, produced and directed his debut feature, A Single Manwhich earned an Oscar nomination and also starred Colin Firth. His second film, Nocturnal Animalswon the 2016 Grand Jury prize in Venice and saw Michael Shannon receive a best supporting actor Oscar nomination.