Netflix released "Ink," Danny Boyle's adaptation of James Graham's stage play, in competition at the Venice Film Festival, where it drew a four-minute standing ovation on opening night. The film subsequently screened at Telluride and Toronto before receiving a December theatrical release and January streaming debut.
The story centers on Rupert Murdoch's 1969 acquisition of the tabloid The Sun and the newspaper's rapid transformation that followed. Guy Pearce plays Murdoch as a brash outsider intent on disrupting Fleet Street, while Jack O'Connell portrays editor Larry Lamb. Graham, adapting his own Tony-nominated play, structures the narrative as a heist, with Boyle providing what observers described as rapid velocity to the material.
Both lead actors present distinct awards narratives. Pearce, who received a supporting actor nomination for "The Brutalist" two years ago, takes on a role with particular resonance given contemporary debates about Murdoch's influence on the modern information environment. O'Connell arrives with momentum from recent projects including "Sinners" and the upcoming "28 Years Later" films, potentially positioning him as a competitor in a crowded best actor field.
Beyond the performances, the film's crafts represent additional award opportunities. Production designer Carson McColl and Gareth Pugh reconstructed a vanished Fleet Street, editor Fin Oates employed a fragmented cutting style, and composer Daniel Pemberton created an original score. Sound designer Johnnie Burn, who won an Oscar for "The Zone of Interest," also contributed to the project.
Graham's adaptation of his own stage work follows a precedent established by "One Night in Miami," which launched at Venice in 2020 with both a screenplay nomination and an acting nod. However, Netflix's fall slate includes several other contenders, potentially dividing the distributor's resources and attention among competing projects.
