Apple Original Films reveals that the highly anticipated, star-studded film Swan Song will debut in theatres and globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, December 17.
The movie, directed by Benjamin Cleary, stars two-time Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali, who also serves as producer; eight-time Academy Award nominee Glenn Close; and Academy Award nominee Naomie Harris.
Golden Globe Award winner Awkwafina and Golden Globe Award nominee Adam Beach also star in the ensemble cast.
Set in the near future, Swan Song is a powerful, emotional journey told through the eyes of Cameron (Mahershala Ali), a loving husband and father diagnosed with a terminal illness who is presented with an alternative solution by his doctor (Glenn Close) to shield his family from grief.
As Cam grapples with whether or not to alter his family’s fate, he learns more about life and love than he ever imagined.
The film explores how far we will go, and how much we’re willing to sacrifice, to make a happier life for the people we love.
In a media interaction, Cleary expresses: “This started as a premise I had ten years ago I’d stuck in a drawer, and then five years with the script, and when Mahershala’s name came up, I was like, ‘can we even get him to just read it?
He did, and we sat down and it became one of those conversations you sometimes have, where each minute you feel more energised and inspired.
I could see within minutes I was sitting across from someone special, who was completely tuned into the heart of the script.
After two hours, he said, ‘I’d love to do this.’ We were delayed six months by COVID, and we used that time to speak about all the elements, and he had such a beautiful way of discovering all these little things within the story.”
Further commenting, Ali says: “Not everyone is at a place in their career where they’re empowered. You get a job, you do your best, and you go away and you see how it comes out.
There have been a few projects where I have been present enough to have an impact on how the story lays out, and that’s true for so many actors in my position.
But often you don’t get acknowledgement for that. It was great to have an opportunity for those ideas and that feedback to not only have an impact but to be credited as well.
Often, as a Black actor, there is a bit of work in transforming characters that aren’t necessarily written with you in mind. It’s not as easy as, plugin David Oyelowo and off you go.
There has to be a lot in how the culture of race impacts everything from sound design to wardrobe, to music in a film, to language and how characters choose to deal with moments.”
The emotionally compelling and thought-provoking film has an original screenplay written by Cleary and produced by Anonymous Content and Concordia Studio.
Producers are Adam Shulman (“Defending Jacob”) and Jacob Perlin (“The Amazing Johnathan Documentary”) on behalf of Anonymous Content; Jonathan King (“Stillwater,” “Dark Waters”) on behalf of Concordia Studio; Rebecca Bourke (“Wave”); Mahershala Ali and Mimi Valdés (“Hidden Figures”) through Know Wonder.
