There's a bit of a trend right now of established actors of the silver screen turning to independent plays – Cynthia Erivo is stepping into STC’s Dracula for its West End premiere, Sadie Sink just finished a run at Romeo + Juliet, Maya Rudolph and Meg Stalter tag teamed as Mary Todd Lincoln in Oh! Mary on Broadway. It's the latest way to show the world you're not just a celebrity, but a serious, prestige actor. And maybe a way to get one step closer to that elusive EGOT.
One actor doing the turn right now is Josh O’Connor – the Challengers and The Crown actor – who is currently leading a revival of Clifford Odets’ Golden Boy at London’s Almeida Theatre. And it's leading this Sam Yates’ revival of the 1937 American classic, that O'Connor is returning to the big screen – albeit by way of the West End. Now, thanks to National Theatre Live, the production is being filmed for cinemas worldwide.
Luckily for audiences far beyond London, we will now have the chance to see it (and thank god for that). Here’s what we know.
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When and where will it be coming to cinemas?
The filmed version of the live play will arrive in cinemas worldwide from 5 November 2026, presented by National Theatre Live.
Australian cinemas are expected to be part of the worldwide release, with participating venues and individual screening dates varying by location. National Theatre Live (NT Live) films are screened at select independent and major cinema chains across Australia like Palace Cinemas, Event Cinemas, Ritz Cinemas, Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace, and regional and independent houses.
What is Golden Boy about?
The film follows Joe Bonaparte, a gifted young violinist whose life reaches a crossroads when he discovers he also has a formidable talent for boxing. The original was written by American playwright Clifford Odets and first staged in 1937.
In it, Joe is forced to choose between the artistic life he has spent years cultivating and the money, success and physical power promised by the ring. What begins as an opportunity though quickly becomes something darker, as we begin to see Joe question how much of himself he is prepared to sacrifice to get what he wants.
