First look at Peaky Blinders star Joe Cole’s new crime thriller with Rita Ora

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The upcoming crime thriller, He Bled Neon, featuring Joe Cole and Rita Ora, has revealed its first images and announced it will premiere in 2026. With a captivating story, the film has the potential to be a major success at film festivals.

So, I heard about this new movie, and it stars Cole, who you might recognize from Peaky Blinders and Gangs of London. He plays a guy named Ethan who comes back to Vegas from LA. Apparently, he’s got some old stuff he needs to deal with – stuff he’s been trying to forget for a long time.

The new crime thriller, directed by Drew Kirsch and written by Tim Cairo and Jake Gibson, will premiere at the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival (SXSW) on March 16, 2026. It will be shown as part of the festival’s Narrative Spotlight section.

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We now have a first look at the film He Bled Neon, including details about its world premiere. Photos from the annual festival show Cole with his co-stars, including Ora and Marshawn Lynch.

I’m really excited to see Ismael Cruz Cordova, Paul Wesley, and Josh Holloway joining the cast! It’s awesome to hear that Cole and Lynch are also involved as executive producers – that means they’re really hands-on with the project, which is a good sign.

The story follows Ethan, who goes back to Las Vegas after discovering his brother’s death might not have been an accident. He’s determined to find out what really happened and face the difficult events from his past.

Ethan’s life has completely changed – he went from growing up on the streets to enjoying a successful life in Los Angeles with the woman he loves, working in real estate. But a family tragedy is about to turn everything around.

The news of his brother’s overdose, delivered by text message, breaks his vow to stay away from home, forcing him back into a life he’d tried to leave behind.

So, originally, it wasn’t just me – another British actor, Ora, was supposed to be in the movie with Jack O’Connell. We were all set to go back in April 2024, but Jack ended up leaving the project, and Wesley stepped in to take his place. It’s a bit of a shake-up, but I’m still excited!

With just over a month to go until the world premiere of He Bled Neon, another film starring Cole gained attention earlier this year. The realistic drama A Prayer Before Dawn was popular on Netflix last month.

He Bled Neon premieres at 2026 SXSW on 16 March.

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2026-02-08 02:49