Did the Who Inspire Benedict Cumberbatch’s The Thing With Feathers? Read on as Its Director Divulges

In the latest film I’m featuring in, titled “The Thing with Feathers,” I can confirm it’s a project deeply rooted in inspiration drawn from The Who. More specifically, the director has shared that one of their albums served as his muse for capturing a specific scene.

At the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, director Dylan Southern shared that there is an amazing photograph of The Who on the cover of “The Kids Are Alright.” In this image, they are enveloped by the Union Jack.

The film premiered at the aforementioned festival on Saturday night.

In the intriguing scenario I’m referring to, it’s me, playing the role of a grieving father in a heart-wrenching story. I’m Benedict Cumberbatch, famously known for my performance in ‘The Power of the Dog’. My character is a widower grappling with the responsibility of raising my two sons following the sudden demise of my wife. In this particular instance, I find myself being trailed by a sleek black crow, adding an eerie touch to the already tense situation as I navigate through life’s challenges.

In a unique representation, the film depicts the father’s sorrow as a colossal raven that follows him around. This raven is portrayed as both a menacing apparition and a guardian. As the story unfolds, a particularly touching moment occurs where the raven sits in the middle of a sofa, with Benedict Cumberbatch on one side and his two sons on the other.

In this depiction, they’re all enshrouded by the dark feathers of a raven, echoing a significant instance from Max Porter’s novella. Yet, it also pays homage from Southern to the legendary British rock group.

Benedict Cumberbatch explained his decision to join the film by saying that the book had a strong impact on him and the director’s pitch made it even more enticing. He went on to explain that his character is very intimidating, and he sees the movie as existing in a completely different world.

Read More

2025-01-27 16:53