Looking Ahead: Focus Features 2021 Slate

With 2020 in our rear-view mirror, we are looking forward to the cinematic treats that 2021 has in store for us. This year promises not only the return of some acclaimed auteurs (Edgar Wright, Tom McCarthy, Paul Schrader, and Robert Eggers) but also stunning and original films from new voices such as Robin Wright, Eddie Huang, and Justin Chon. To get you ready, we've highlighted eight of the features we plan to be rolling out this year. No doubt, there will be some additional cinematic surprises later on. Happy viewing. 

Land | February 12

Robin Wright’s feature directorial debut Land arrives on February 12. Wright, who has been lauded for her performances in both film and television, has recently moved behind the camera to direct ten episodes of her hit series House of Cards. With Land, an emotional journey of a woman finding her personal truth in the magnificent, but unforgiving, Rocky Mountains, Wright has taken on the roles of director, star, and executive producer. Demián Bichir plays a hunter who helps her find her way in the wild as well as a reason to leave it. For The Playlist, Land “provides an in-depth exploration of grief, finding solace, and survivalism that could shake up the indie arthouse.”

Boogie | March 5

Writer, producer and restaurateur Eddie Huang brings his unique perspective and experience to his directorial debut, Boogie, out on March 5. Boogie—which Huang also wrote—tells the coming-of-age story of Alfred “Boogie” Chin (Taylor Takahashi), a basketball phenom living in Queens, New York, who dreams of one day playing in the NBA. The film also features the debut performance of the late rapper Pop Smoke. “A lot of actors just don’t have the depth of emotion and experiences,”remembers Huang. “Because of what Pop’s gone through, he has a tremendous well to draw from.”

Last Night in Soho | April 23

The visionary filmmaker Edgar Wright returns on April 23 with his genre-bending thriller, Last Night in Soho starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Thomasin McKenzie, and Matt Smith, as well as Diana Rigg in her final performance.  This time-traveling yarn that takes Taylor-Joy back to London’s swinging sixties has made nearly everyone’s most-anticipated-films list of 2021. For Collider, having Wright “tackle a straight-up horror movie…is extremely exciting. Throw in a swell ensemble and delectable setting, and we’re chomping at the bit for this one.”

Blue Bayou | June 25

Actor-turned-director Justin Chon made a splash in 2017 with his searing drama Gook, for which The Wrap wrote, "Chon’s dense, ambitious, and observant film is full of impressive craft and insight.” One of Time Magazine’s “Most Anticipated Movies of 2021,” Chon’s new feature Blue Bayou is a touching emotional tale about a Korean adoptee, Antonio LeBlanc (Chon), and his wife, Kathy (Alicia Vikander), struggling with the very real possibility that he may be deported.

The Northman | TBA

Robert Eggers, who made a name for himself with such haunting and stylish films as The Witch and The Lighthouse, returns with The Northman, a thrilling Viking epic set in 10th century Iceland starring Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Willem Defoe, and Björk. "This could be a potential masterpiece," writes Flickering Myth, adding, "A director of distinct creative vision, who delivers interesting genre redefining work offers so much potential for a Viking revenge saga, and the cast assembled is as eclectic and eye catching as you will see all year."

The Card Counter | TBA

Writer/director Paul Schrader, who has been the creative mind behind such classic films as Taxi Driver and First Reformed, focuses his talent on creating the psychological drama of The Card Counter. Oscar Isaac plays Tell, a card player who finds his spartan existence on the casino trail shattered when he is approached by Cirk (Tye Sheridan), a vulnerable and angry young man seeking help to execute his plan for revenge on a military colonel (Willem Dafoe). "To hear that Schrader, one of cinema’s great screenwriters, is partnering with Oscar Isaac—one of our current era’s greatest actors—is quite a marvelous thing indeed," writes The Playlist.

Untitled Bourdain Documentary | TBA

Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville, who brought to life the magic and humanity of Fred Rogers in his blockbuster biodoc Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, explores the life of Anthony Bourdain in his new documentary.. The chef, writer, television host, and intrepid traveler, who died tragically in 2018, opened the world to his viewers like no one before him. “Anthony Bourdain did more to help us understand each other than just about anyone in the history of television,” explains Neville. “He connected with people not in spite of his flaws, but because of them.”

Stillwater | TBA

In 2016, writer/director Tom McCarthy’s Spotlight won the Academy Award® for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay and was nominated for four other Oscars®, including Best Achievement in Directing for McCarthy. His new film Stillwater focuses on a father traveling from Oklahoma to France to help his daughter, who has been arrested for murder. With a cast that includes Matt Damon and Abigail Breslin, Stillwater is already making waves. “This sounds like the kind of thoughtful human drama at which McCarthy excels, and the fact that the story has been called 'complex, surprising, and emotional' has all the trappings of a serious awards contender,” writes The Playlist.