‘Ink’ tells the story of Rupert Murdoch’s 1969 purchase of a failing tabloid called The Sun. The film follows the rapid transformation of the paper under Murdoch and editor Larry Lamb. It is set in the late 1960s and early 1970s in London.
Danny Boyle directs the film. James Graham wrote the screenplay, adapting his own Tony-nominated stage play. The story centers on two men who helped shape what the industry now calls the modern attention economy.
Festival run
‘Ink’ opened the 83rd Venice Film Festival in competition. It received a four-minute standing ovation on opening night. The film then moved to Telluride, where it received a warm reception, and is set to appear at the Toronto International Film Festival.
At Telluride, Boyle clarified the title during his introduction. He told the audience the film is not about tattoos. He explained the title refers to the ink used to print newspapers.
The cast
Guy Pearce plays a young Rupert Murdoch, described as an outsider looking to disrupt the British newspaper industry known as Fleet Street. Pearce earned an Oscar nomination in 2024 for his role in ‘The Brutalist.’
Jack O’Connell plays Larry Lamb, the editor Murdoch hires to run the paper. O’Connell was previously part of the ensemble in ‘Sinners,’ where he played the character Remmick. Claire Foy and Brian Gleeson also appear in the film.
Release plans
Netflix will release ‘Ink’ in select theaters starting December 11. The film will then stream on Netflix in the United States and Latin America starting January 8. The timing places the film directly within the core of awards season.
Oscar positioning
Industry observers note a possible path for the film in the adapted screenplay category. Graham is adapting his own play, a route also taken by ‘One Night in Miami’ in 2020. That film launched at Venice and earned an adapted screenplay nomination for writer Kemp Powers, along with an acting nomination for Leslie Odom Jr.
Beyond acting and writing, ‘Ink’ is also positioned to compete in below-the-line categories. Its production design, credited to Carson McColl and Gareth Pugh, recreates the Fleet Street of that era.
Background on the story
The film’s subject echoes broader interest in media dynasties, drawing comparisons to the television series ‘Succession.’ Murdoch, an Australian businessman, was nicknamed ‘the Dirty Digger’ by British rivals during his rise. Under his ownership, The Sun grew from a struggling broadsheet into the best-selling tabloid in the United Kingdom.
- Ink
- Netflix
