Widows (2018 film)

Widows
Theatrical release poster
Directed bySteve McQueen
Screenplay by
Based onWidows
by Lynda La Plante
Produced by
Starring
CinematographySean Bobbitt
Edited byJoe Walker
Music byHans Zimmer
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • September 8, 2018 (2018-09-08) (TIFF)
  • November 6, 2018 (2018-11-06) (United Kingdom)
  • November 16, 2018 (2018-11-16) (United States)
Running time
130 minutes[1]
Countries
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$42 million[2]
Box office$76 million[2]

Widows is a 2018 neo-noir heist thriller film directed by Steve McQueen from a screenplay by Gillian Flynn and McQueen,[3] based upon the 1983 British television series of the same name.[4] The plot follows four Chicago women who attempt to steal $5 million from the home of a prominent local politician in order to pay back a crime boss missing money stolen by the women's husbands before they were killed in a botched getaway attempt. A British-American co-production, the film stars Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez and Elizabeth Debicki in the title roles alongside Cynthia Erivo (in her film debut), Colin Farrell, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, Jacki Weaver, Carrie Coon, Robert Duvall, and Liam Neeson in an ensemble supporting cast.

Widows premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2018, and was theatrically released in the United Kingdom on November 6, 2018 and in the United States on November 16, by 20th Century Fox. The film received critical acclaim, with praise aimed at its direction, editing, screenplay and performances (particularly Davis, Debicki and Kaluuya), with critics crediting it for blending "dramatic themes with popcorn thrills".[5][6] The film grossed $76 million worldwide on a production budget of $42 million and received several award nominations, among them being one for Davis for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

  1. ^ "WIDOWS (15)". Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. British Board of Film Classification. Archived from the original on October 13, 2018. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Widows (2018)". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on June 20, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  3. ^ "Widows: Viola Davis sparkles in this superb modern noir". RTÉ. 5 November 2018. Archived from the original on 1 July 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  4. ^ "Gillian Flynn Joins Steve McQueen To Script New Regency Heist Thriller". 27 March 2015. Archived from the original on March 30, 2017. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
  5. ^ "Widows review round-up: Steve McQueen's heist film is a 'ferociously entertaining crowd-pleaser'". Firstpost. September 11, 2018. Archived from the original on November 6, 2018. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
  6. ^ Fujitani, Ryan (November 21, 2018). "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Could Use a Bit More Magic". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2018.