
I’m always looking at and trying to update our Upcoming Movies list, which has films and TV shows we see listed as “coming soon” on IMDB.com. There’s always a ton of stuff without premiere dates or, even worse for us here at Frock Flicks HQ, without U.S. premiere dates. I’m left chomping at the bit to hear more about these ones because I know they’re in production, they have some cast and crew listed, maybe even a picture floating around the internet, but nothing very specific.
I need the info on these ones because their IMDB pages leave me going “Hmm … what’s up? What’s happening? What’s going on?”
Seacole

This biopic of British-Jamaican nurse Mary Seacole, who worked during the Crimean War, stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and I’m really looking out for this one! I saw an amazing, experimental play about Seacole (and about race, class, motherhood, sisterhood, war, and much more) at the Donmar Warehouse, plus visited her grave in London last year, so I’m particularly interested in the subject matter. Of course, Mbatha-Raw is a great actor, and this preview pic looks decent, so I’m hyped. Gimmie a U.S. release date!
The Ballad of Renegade Nell
Costume designer Tom Pye mentioned this was his next project when I talked to him last year about the second season of Gentleman Jack. He was excited to work with some of the same production team and for the 18th-century costumes, so I am excited to see the results! Joely Richardson and Pip Torrens are on the cast of this Queen-Anne-era romp, and it seems like the series will air on Disney+.
Lee
This may be less frock-y than much of what we prefer to review, but I’m intrigued by the topic. Kate Winslet stars in this biopic of Elizabeth ‘Lee’ Miller, a fashion model who became an acclaimed photographer and war correspondent during World War II. Her life is amazing, so I hope this movie does her justice. The excellent Michael O’Connor is costume designer, so everything should look right.
Firebrand
Speaking of doing a historical figure justice, here’s a chance to get Henry VIII‘s last wife right onscreen. Based on the novel, Queen’s Gambit, Alicia Vikander plays Katherine Parr to Jude Law‘s Henry, so that could be fiery right there. No costume designer listed yet, though a lot of costume department staff are. Filming has taken place at historic Haddon Hall, where this fuzzy, behind-the-scenes pic found on Twitter came from. That French hood looks good, nice and flat, with an actual hood and even a chinstrap which is sometime seen in period images.
The Buccaneers
I adore the 1995 miniseries, and I don’t mind that the BBC wrote it’s own happy-ish ending. It’ll be interesting to see if this new version on Apple TV+ writes a new ending or uses the one written by Marion Mainwaring in 1993 or what. The costume designer is Kate Carin, who’s done The Book of Negroes (2015) and Around the World in 80 Days (2021), so I’m curious to see what she can do with the presumably bigger budget of a streaming channel.
What upcoming frock flicks do you want more info on?
Wondering what became of the Custom of the Country project , another Wharton-based book…has been sort of in development for a few years…still no cast or anything listed.
Yeah, no details on that one yet :(
The costumes (as much as one pic is to go one) for Firebrand look good but I’m kind of over Alicia Vikander’s acting; I find the more I watch, the more she comes across as listless and somewhat confused in every role she’s in – like she accidentally wandered on set and isn’t sure how she got there. I just watched ‘The Gloria’s’ and she plays Steinem at her peak firebrand (ha ha) period and yet her version of righteous anger feels like a whimper compared to Julianne Moore or even Rose Byrne in Mrs. America.
That French hood gives me hope for Firebrand’s costuming.
I saw a hint that Michael O’Connor will be the costume designer (& he’s so good!), but I couldn’t confirm that, so TBD.
Got some Mary Seacole right here to hold you until the movie comes out 8^) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJPhMi8GKjs
Hahahah, we love Horrible Histories!
I like Jude Law but he’s no Henry VIII. Which may be a compliment.
I hadn’t heard of any of these. They all look interesting. I’m hoping for another season of The Nevers. One I’m always on the fence about is The Night Circus. I know it was optioned right away, but nothing’s ever come of it. It’s one of my favorite novels, and on the one hand I shudder to think of how it could be F’d up on screen. And on the other hand, I’m curious to see how it might be done. I vascillate between hoping it never gets made (and ruined) and hoping it does out of curiosity. I’ve longed wanted to see a film treatment of The Black Count, which I also think was optioned a long time ago. I think the reception of the upcoming Chevalier will play a role in whether anything moves forward with The Black Count.
I’ve heard contradictory things about The Nevers. The last half of the season has been filmed, but HBO Max canceled the series, so I don’t know about air date.
The Nevers was canceled & even season 1 has been removed from HBO Max :(
Goodness! Was it that bad?
I was sad about the cancellation of the Nevers, which I thought was flawed but enjoyable, and even sadder at this recent spate of streaming services not just cancelling shows but outright dumping them to avoid paying residuals! I didn’t think I had any illusions about the film and TV industries, and I know creative/storytelling interests and profit motives have always been at war, but I feel like that tension used to be better hidden, at least.
It’s really annoying that the streamers are removing the canceled series so fast! Cheapskates.
Oooo so much goodness! As a nurse I’m very excited for Seacole especially.
That Madame Du Barry flick has me intrigued, despite Johnny Depp! Not really a fan!
There’s another Poirot outing from Kenneth Branagh (Another one?Yawn!) based on Hallowe’en Party. Set in Post WW2 Italy, I think? Tina Fey and Jamie Dornan are attached. So decent Eye Candy/ Potential New Look fabulousity? Who knows!
Every one of these hits my buttons. Cannot wait!
Thank you for bringing the upcoming ‘Firebrand’ and ‘The Buccaneers’ to my attention. Both sound promising. I am, however, a little worried by ‘Seacole’ because I am a fan of historical accuracy. Most of the stories now circulating around Mary Seacole are not based on the reality or her own memoir. She was a caring person, but not a nurse, nor did she actually do much of significance in the Crimea. The mythology about her life has become quite extensive and I fear this film will just add to it.
Florence Nightengale wasn’t a “nurse” in the modern sense either bec. the concept was just being invented at the time of the Crimean war. Mary Seacole did quite a bit that was useful & “nurse” like before, during, & after the Crimea. I suggest you not lean too heavily on white-washed history.
On the other hand Seacole deserves great credit for her work during a cholera epidemic in Panama. Her treatment was reasonably successful and the courage she showed in nursing victims of this deadly and contagious disease was of a very high order. She lived an adventurous and fascinating life as a traveler and entrepreneur, but she was no Florence Nightingale. On the other hand Nightingale was no Mary Seacole.