David Tennant will be leading a scandalous new movie.
David Tennant will lead the cast of a new film based on a popular novel first published 54 years ago. While known for diverse roles in television – including the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who and Kilgrave in Marvel’s Jessica Jones – Tennant has primarily done voice work in movies recently, with his last live-action movie role being Ian Ventham in The Thursday Murder Club. More details about the new film are coming soon.
According to Deadline, David Tennant is joining the cast of a new film called The Joys of Sex. The movie is based on the controversial 1972 sex guide by Alex Comfort and will star Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, and Laura Linney. Tennant will appear alongside Jason Watkins and Vicky Krieps as part of the main cast. Sharon Maguire, who directed the Bridget Jones films, is directing and co-writing the script with Lise Mayer. Their screenplay draws inspiration from a real romance in Comfort’s life.
The movie will tell the story of Alex Comfort, played by Firth, focusing on his life as a British scientist studying molluscs before he wrote the famous book, The Joys of Sex. It explores the decade-long love triangle between Alex, his wife Ruth (Linney), and her friend Jane (Moore), and how their relationship impacted the writing of the book. Director Maguire has stated she’s approaching the adaptation with a personal connection to the controversial work.
Growing up in a strict Irish Catholic home in the 70s, my family forbade me from having The Joy of Sex, making the book incredibly alluring. Ironically, while it was a straightforward sex guide for couples, it came about through a complicated and turbulent love triangle. The film explores this very triangle – a story that’s both surprising, touching, and genuinely funny.
Alison Owen and Debra Hayward from Monumental Films, Anand Tucker of Seven Stories Film & TV, and Matthias Greving from Kinescope Pictures will produce the film. Deepak Nayar (Kintop Pictures), Colleen Woodcock (Seven Stories), Philip and Isabell Von Alvensleben (Alive Entertainment), Marie-Claire Benson and Emma Berkofsky (Lionsgate UK), and Embankment Films will serve as executive producers. Lionsgate will distribute the movie in the UK, but a US release date hasn’t been announced.
This upcoming film marks the second time The Joys of Sex has been adapted for the screen. A previous movie in 1984 used the book’s title but told a completely different, fictional story with a cast including Cameon Dye, Michelle Meyrink, Colleen Camp, and Ernie Hudson. That film received mixed reactions from viewers and negative reviews from critics. However, the new adaptation by Maguire will be quite different, focusing on the life of the book’s author and how it influenced the writing. This approach aims to be more faithful to the original novel and provide a richer historical understanding.
The Joys of Sex has been a huge success, selling over 15 million copies worldwide and hitting the New York Times bestseller list when it was first published. An updated edition came out in 2008. Although David Tennant’s part in the upcoming film is still a mystery, the casting suggests the story will explore more than just the central romance. The movie appears to delve into the life of author Comfort and the experiences that inspired him to write his famous book.
2026-07-23 23:09