The high-energy film about the rise of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire kicked off the Venice Film Festival with a standing ovation.
At a time when the influence of media conglomerates and sensationalized news remains a central global debate, director Danny Boyle’s new film Ink takes audiences back to the 1969 origin story of modern tabloid culture, offering a fast-paced look at how a young Rupert Murdoch disrupted the media landscape forever.
WHAT HAPPENED
The 83rd Venice Film Festival opened with a burst of high-energy tabloid style on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, with the world premiere of Danny Boyle’s media drama Ink. The film, which adapts James Graham’s acclaimed stage play of the same name, chronicles the pivotal moment in 1969 when a young Australian businessman named Rupert Murdoch purchased the failing British newspaper The Sun and transformed it into a dominant, sensationalist tabloid.
The opening night screening in the Sala Grande at the Palazzo del Cinema on the Lido of Venice concluded with a warm, four-minute standing ovation from the audience. Critics immediately praised the film's relentless, fast-paced energy, which mirrors the very tabloid style it depicts.
Ink stars Guy Pearce as the ambitious, young Rupert Murdoch and Jack O’Connell as Larry Lamb, the ruthless editor Murdoch hired to run the paper. Claire Foy also stars as Jules Davies, a composite character representing the female executives who worked at The Sun during its rise. The narrative focuses on the relationship between Murdoch and Lamb as they use populist strategies to challenge the rigid British media establishment, ultimately turning The Sun into the biggest-selling newspaper in the world.
At a Venice press conference, Pearce shared that he had exchanged messages with Murdoch’s daughter, Elisabeth, who told him that her father was "very happy" with Pearce's casting, though the media mogul had not yet seen the film. Boyle emphasized that the production team sought to avoid "monsterizing" Murdoch, instead focusing on how his early efforts represented a breath of fresh air that challenged a rigid social order, making the audience feel complicit in the rise of modern media sensationalism.
Key Facts
- Director: Danny Boyle, making his first-ever appearance at the Venice Film Festival.
- Screenplay: Written by James Graham, based on his original stage play.
- Key Cast: Guy Pearce as Rupert Murdoch, Jack O'Connell as editor Larry Lamb, and Claire Foy as Jules Davies.
- Setting: The year 1969, focusing on the acquisition and transformation of The Sun newspaper.
- Premiere Reception: A four-minute standing ovation on opening night in Venice.
- U.S. Release Date: December 11, 2026, in theaters, followed by streaming on Netflix on January 8, 2027.
WHY IT MATTERS
Ink is more than a historical drama; it serves as an origin story for the modern, attention-driven media landscape. The strategies Murdoch and Lamb pioneered at The Sun—using populist language, sensationalism, and reader-grabbing tactics—laid the groundwork for the future of media, from Fox News and The New York Post to today's clickbait and social media algorithms. By exploring how these tactics first took hold, the film prompts viewers to reflect on how public taste and corporate ambition reshaped the concept of truth in journalism.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
Following its high-profile premiere in Venice, Ink is scheduled to screen at several other major fall film festivals, including the Toronto International Film Festival and the London Film Festival. The film will make its theatrical debut in the United States on December 11, 2026. Audiences will also be able to stream the film on Netflix in the United States and Latin America starting January 8, 2027, coinciding with its theatrical release in the United Kingdom.
WHAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW
- How will Rupert Murdoch himself react to the final film once he actually watches Guy Pearce’s portrayal of his younger self?
- Will the film's strong reception at Venice propel it into the upcoming awards season as a major Oscar contender?
- How will modern audiences, who are highly polarized by today's media environment, respond to a film that seeks to humanize rather than "monsterize" Murdoch?
SOURCE NOTE
This story draws on reporting from The Hollywood Reporter.
Transparency notes
Published: Sep 2, 2026. No major post-publication update has been logged.
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