The trailer for Mr. Malcolm’s List has dropped and fans of romantic period dramas like Netflix’s Bridgerton are in for a treat.
Praise on social media shows audiences are eagerly awaiting the release of Mr. Malcolm’s List, which follows the exploits of the dashing titular hero Mr. Malcolm, a wealthy suitor portrayed by Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù.
As described by the film’s distributor’s Bleecker Street: “When she fails to meet an item on his list of requirements for a bride, Julia Thistlewaite, played by Zawe Ashton, is jilted by London’s most eligible bachelor, Mr. Malcom. Feeling humiliated and determined to exact revenge, she convinces her friend Selina Dalton (Freida Pinto) to play the role of his ideal match. Soon, Mr. Malcolm wonders whether he’s found the perfect woman…or the perfect hoax.”
In London society, the most eligible bachelor is also its most selective. #MrMalcolmsList comes to theaters July 1 pic.twitter.com/7hW7Igbscl
— Mr. Malcolms List (@MrMalcolmsList) June 3, 2022
Mr. Malcolm’s List is based on the book of the same name by Suzanne Allain, who adapted it into a screenplay for both the 2019 short film, and the upcoming feature length film.
The film’s leading man, British Nigerian Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù is well known for starring in Gangs of London. He’s come a long way since we first saw him in the Royal Shakespeare Company production of Coriolanus.
What we loved about Coriolanus, the RSC production
In 2020, along with Wunmi Mosaku, Dìrísù gave a moving portrayal of a Sudanese refugee in the Netflix horror flick, His House. Last year he was nominated for a BAFTA Film Award under the rising star award category [go figure!], and also starred in the highly acclaimed Mothering Sunday. In an interview with Vanity Fair, the actor said he didn’t care much for period dramas set in this era, he said: “There were no stories of color being told in those films.” However, he was drawn to the script of Mr. Malcolm’s List as he found it funny and a step away from other work he was being offered.
His House star Wunmi Mosaku: ‘I’ve been thinking about my purpose’
Dìrísù was keen to find ways to bring more depth to his character. One of the ways he did this was by convincing the director to include a scene where Mr. Malcom speaks Yoruba. He told Vanity Fair: “I was conscious of not color-washing the story. I didn’t want this to just be a white character played by a person of color. I wanted him to feel like a real, lived-in person.”
Credit: Bleeker Street
Much like Bridgerton before it, Mr. Malcolm’s List, strives and succeeds as being a feature film that celebrates inclusivity with its well-rounded cast. Perhaps we have found a new ‘Mr. Darcy’ for the next generation?
Watch the Mr. Malcolm’s List trailer.
Mr. Malcolm’s List is released in cinemas in the US on 1 July 2022. UK date tbc.
