Ralph Fiennes confirmed for “magnificent” period drama about “high-stakes psychological duel”

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In acclaimed director István Szabó’s new film, Embers, Ralph Fiennes and Viggo Mortensen will star as two longtime friends haunted by a secret from their past. The movie is adapted from Sándor Márai’s novel of the same name, originally published in 1942.

The new period drama centers on a tense and dramatic rivalry between old friends, Konrad (played by Viggo Mortensen) and Henrik (Ralph Fiennes). The cast also includes Katherine Langford, known from Knives Out, along with Charlotte Rampling, Louis Hofmann, Gijs Blom, Evelyne Brochu, and Jonah Russell, according to Deadline.

Producer Robert Lantos, who previously worked with director Szabó and actor Fiennes on the 1999 film Sunshine, praised the screenplay by Academy Award-winning writer Christopher Hampton (Les Liaisons Dangereuses, The Father) as outstanding. He described the upcoming film, Embers, as a project he’s always hoped to make with this particular team.

Hampton first turned Márai’s novel into a play in 2006, and then sent the script to Szabó with a simple note: “In hope.” Szabó, known for directing Mephisto, immediately thought it was the best screenplay he had ever read.

I’m so excited about this new movie, Embers! It’s being filmed in Budapest and it’s about two old friends, Henrik and Konrad, who haven’t seen each other in decades. Apparently, Konrad just vanished years ago, and now they’re reconnecting. The trailer hints at a really intense night where they finally confront the secret that ruined their friendship, and it all revolves around a woman they both knew. It looks like it’s going to be a total psychological thriller!

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Fiennes expressed his delight at working with István Szabó again, saying, “Robert Lantos made it possible by bringing us together for Christopher Hampton’s excellent adaptation of Embers. I’d been hoping for another collaboration for a long time.”

Working with Viggo Mortensen on this project was a real highlight. I’ve long admired his talent, and it was incredible to be on set with him, István, and the fantastic Hungarian crew.

Viggo Mortensen described working with Ralph Fiennes and director István Szabó on the film adaptation of Sándor Márai’s novel as an unforgettable and incredibly rewarding experience. He said it was the kind of challenging role he always hopes for.

Embankment Film is managing the film’s sales leading up to the Cannes Film Festival. Co-director Tim Haslam describes the movie, Embers, as a tense psychological thriller where a single moment of attraction and deceit changes everything for the characters.

I’m so excited! The latest issue of Living Legends is out, and it’s a beautiful, full-color tribute to Sir David Attenborough! It’s 100 pages long and you can grab a copy at newsstands or order it online.

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2026-04-23 22:49