Fashion icon Tom Ford has enlisted Adele to star in his upcoming adaptation of Anne Rice’s novel “Cry to Heaven,” his production company announced on Wednesday. Ford will be responsible for writing, directing, and producing the film, marking Adele’s debut as an actress.
Adele will be part of a diverse ensemble cast that includes Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, George MacKay, Colin Firth, Paul Bettany, breakout star Owen Cooper from “Adolescence,” and Hunter Schafer. Specific details about their roles have not been disclosed yet.
The Grammy-winning singer’s latest album, titled “30,” was released in 2021. Instead of going on a tour for the album, she entertained audiences with her Weekends with Adele residency in Las Vegas, which concluded in 2024 after 100 shows.
Adele joins a lineage of singers venturing into acting. Recently, pop sensation Charli XCX dabbled in both television and film, following the footsteps of artists like Lady Gaga, Harry Styles, and A$AP Rocky who have transitioned to acting in recent times.
Rice’s original novel, published in 1982, is set in the opera world of 18th-century Italy and revolves around two characters from contrasting backgrounds: a peasant by birth and a Venetian noble.
Ford’s upcoming film “Cry to Heaven” will be his third directorial venture, following his debut with the romantic drama “A Single Man” in 2009 and the psychological thriller “Nocturnal Animals” in 2016. The screenplay, penned by Ford, is currently in pre-production in London and Rome, aiming for a release in fall 2026 as reported by Deadline.
Maintaining his tradition, Ford is self-financing “Cry to Heaven,” stating in a 2016 interview with The Associated Press that he insists on controlling the underlying rights before embarking on any film project.