When Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers debuted in April, lives were changed. However, the same can be said for when Call Me by Your Name was released in 2017, Suspiria in 2018 and Bones and All in 2022. Now, with the release of his latest film, Queer, audiences are bracing for another experience that promises to shift, move, and challenge them in ways only Guadagnino can achieve.
Adapted from William S. Burroughs’ 1985 novel of the same name by Justin Kuritzkes (who wrote Challengers), Queer explores the life of William Lee, a 40-something American expatriate in Mexico City, portrayed by Daniel Craig. A social outsider, Lee becomes fixated on Eugene Allerton, a newly arrived student portrayed by Drew Starkey, whose presence compels him to confront his loneliness and desire. The film also stars Jason Schwartzman, Henry Zaga, Lesley Manville, and Omar Apollo.
Guadagnino is well known for his sensual, intimate portrayals of love, desire, and the complexities of human identity, and Queer follows suit, offering a raw, provocative exploration of attraction and sexuality. Since premiering at the 81st Venice International Film Festival this past September, Queer has garnered critical acclaim, being hailed as a work of “epic beauty.” Critics, including The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw, have praised Craig’s “horny, funny, open, and generous” performance.
Queer will be released in UK and Irish cinemas on 13 December. You can watch the new trailer above.