‘The Christophers’ Trailer: Ian McKellen Plans the Art Forgery of a Lifetime in Steven Soderbergh’s Festival Hit

A new Steven Soderbergh movie is an occurrence that happens more often than most holidays, but that doesn’t make it any less of a treat. This spring, the “Ocean’s 11” director returns to theaters once again with “The Christophers,” an art forgery drama that stars Ian McKellen as the patriarch of a very messy family.

An official synopsis for the film reads: “Julian Sklar was once a star of London’s 1960’s and 70’s pop art explosion, but he hasn’t painted in decades and has been broke for years. His two estranged children, desperate for an inheritance, hire Lori, an art restorer and former forger, to pose as a prospective assistant in order to access 8 unfinished canvases Julian has buried deep in storage. Her plan is to complete them, then return them to storage, where they are to be ‘discovered’ upon Julian’s death.”

In addition to McKellen, “The Christophers” stars Michaela Coel, Jessica Gunning, and James Corden. The film is written by “Men in Black” screenwriter and frequent Soderbergh collaborator Ed Solomon.

“The Christophers” premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival where it was acquired by Neon. Critics had high marks for the film, with particular praise being heaped upon McKellen’s performance.

“In a performance as layered as the unfinished canvases that Julian keeps in storage, McKellen inhabits the character as a bloody prick who takes pleasure in his cutting wit, but also endows him — absent the slightest trace of sentimentality — with the wounded resignation of a man who only hurts people because he doesn’t know how to help them,” IndieWire’s David Ehrlich wrote in his review. “He bared his soul to the world with the ‘Christophers,’ possibly at Christopher’s expense, and the experience left him so exposed that he felt like he had to spend the rest of his life on the attack.”

“The Christophers” concluded a whirlwind 2025 that saw Soderbergh direct three major movies. He also helmed the Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett-led spy thriller “Black Bag” and the formally inventive horror flick “Presence.” He does not currently have any announced directorial projects in the work, but anyone who has followed his post-retirement career knows that it’s a safe bet that will change very soon.

Neon will release “The Christophers” in theaters on Friday, April 10. Watch the trailer below.