We’re always trying to track what historical costume movies and TV shows are coming up. I always feel like we’ve Just Posted one of these, and then I go check and it’s been months. So, yay, we get some new stuff! As always, you can keep an eye on what’s forthcoming on our Upcoming Movies page! Editor’s note: Due to the ongoing pandemic, some theatrical releases are being rescheduled and some theater chains are temporarily closed, so please be patient as we update our Upcoming Movies page.
Feb. 26: The United States vs. Billie Holiday
Biopic of the jazz singer focusing on her legal troubles in the 1940s. Costumes by Paolo Nieddu.
March 2: The World to Come
“Somewhere along the mid-19th century American East Coast frontier, two neighboring couples battle hardship and isolation, witnessed by a splendid yet testing landscape, challenging them both physically and psychologically” (IMDB). Costumes by Luminita Lungu.
March 26 on Netflix: The Irregulars
Set in Victorian London, the series follows a gang of troubled street teens who are manipulated into solving crimes for the sinister Doctor Watson and his mysterious business partner, the elusive Sherlock Holmes. Costumes by Edward K. Gibbon.
March 26: Six Minutes to Midnight
“UK, Aug. 15, 1939: 17 days before WWII, an English teacher and his camera disappear on a coastal boarding school with 20 German teen girls. Miller gets the job 6 days later, secretly trying to find out what happened” (IMDB). Costumes by Lucinda Wright.
April 4 on PBS: Atlantic Crossing
The story of Crown Princess Märtha who fought for her country — Norway — and her marriage during the tragic events of World War II. Costumes by Karen Fabritius Gram.
April 11 on HBO: The Nevers
TV series about a gang of Victorian women “who find themselves with unusual abilities, relentless enemies, and a mission that might change the world.” Costumes by Michele Clapton & Jane Petrie.
August 13: Respect
Aretha Franklin biopic starring Jennifer Hudson. Costumes by Clint Ramos.
August 20: The King’s Man
Ralph Fiennes in an Edwardian secret service/Marvel movie. Costumes by Michele Clapton.
Sept. 17: Death on the Nile
Kenneth Branagh’s version of the Agatha Christie mystery. Costumes by Paco Delgado.
Dec. 23: The Nightingale
The lives of two sisters living in France are torn apart at the onset of World War II.
Films/Series with No US Release Date
The Banishing
Jessica Brown Findlay stars in a haunted house story set in the 1930s. Costumes by Lance Milligan.
Leonardo
TV miniseries about Leonardo da Vinci starring Aidan Turner. Costumes by Alessandro Lai.
The Pact
About the relationship between Karen Blixen (author of Out of Africa) and poet Thorkild Bjørnvig in the 1940s.
Paris Police 1900
“Paris, France, 1899. The corpse of an unknown woman is found in the river Seine. The investigation will push a young ambitious inspector to discover a heavy state secret” (IMDB). Costumes by Anaïs Romand.
The Underground Railroad
“A young woman named Cora makes an amazing discovery during her attempt to break free from slavery in the deep south.” Costumes by Caroline Eselin.
Which of these historical costume films and TV series are you most excited about?
Videos for the Six Minutes to Midnight and Atlantic Crossing are unavailable. One was removed by the uploader, the other isn’t available in Canada :/
I found the Atlantic Crossing trailer on the PBS website, but I don’t know if that’s available in Canada. It looks good, with Norwegians playing Norwegians and Americans playing Americans. I lived in Norway as an exchange student and I get the squeeeee!s when I hear the language on film. (On the other hand I don’t enjoy listening to Danish at all so I’ll skip The Pact.)
I think that Nightingale trailer might be the wrong one. It doesn’t look like it’s set in the 1940’s.
The Nightingale trailer is not for the WWII book The Nightingale. The story the trailer depicts is set in Tasmania in 1825.
You’re right. And that film was released two years ago.
I watched that film a few months ago. Very good one.
OMG Kenneth Branagh, stop. Just stop.
(Does anyone else see the irony in using “Never Again” in the trailer soundtrack? I wish he had listened to that after his remake of Orient Express. Hopefully he will listen to it now and never. do. this. again.)
I couldn’t agree with you more. :)
The World To Come looks to have adopted the common idiocy of unbound hair and idle women.
Hog killing day and the women are lounging around? They’d be slaving along with everyone else dark-to-dark.
I had to stop about five seconds into that trailer. So much vocal fry!
Curmudgeon here. I’m getting very weary of all these Victorian/Edwardian – set sci-fi, superhero, and appropriated character (like the Holmes) schlock movies. Won’t touch -em with a 10 foot pole.
I’m extremely excited for Respect! Jennifer Hudson is a perfect choice for that role IMO.
The Leonardo tv series on the other hand looks terrible. Which is a huge pity, because we really need a good movie or series about Leonardo da Vinci, but it’s like they looked at the life of this brilliant man, who led a fascinating life and was accomplished in so many different areas, and for some bizarre reason decided the actual facts of his life aren’t interesting enough and concocted some story about him being accused of murder and black magic which has absolutely no basis in history.
As long as Aiden Turner does some shirtless scything in it, I’m good.
I remember the BBC screening a very good Italian series based on Leonardo’s life back in the 70s.
If they want to go with something he WAS charged with and found guilty of, why not go with SODOMY, since that, you know, happened?
@Prebby I was thinking exactly that too! That’s a true and important story to tell, and also an aspect of his life that’s been often been ignored in the past because of homophobia. This would be a great opportunity to remedy that.
(The extended trailer shows that they are at least showing he was into men, so it’s possible they will get into the sodomy arrest? I hope so, anyway. But I would have more faith in how they’ll handle it if they seemed to be sticking closer to the actual history.)
Atlantiv crossing is actually quite good, with Kyle Maclachlan as FDR
March 26 La Templanza on Prime! There is a teaser available on YouTube.
The Nevers looks very Penny Dreadful-ish. I might check that one out.
seems like a lot of supernatural and/or crime elements. not sure that’s for me. Six Minutes to Midnight though intrigues me.
Waitaminnit, I’ve seen Six Minutes to Midnight! It was very good, but not terribly exciting in the costume department. School uniforms and such. I do loves me some Eddie Izzard.
I’m feeling a bit over bleak period dramas about gay people. It’s like studios have decided they can make LGBT movies as long as they’re historical, so then it can still be depressing. I want happy gay content, darn it!
Out of all these, I’m only excited about The King’s Man. I’m interested in Atlantic Crossing, The Irregulars, Six Minutes to Midnight, and The Nevers. I’m wary of Leonardo. Leonardo Da Vinci was fascinating, and I would love to see justice done to his life’s story on the big or small screen.
Here you are: La Templanza on Prime! It seems nice.