Colin Firth joins ‘The Crown’ star in James Bond director’s romantic drama

A wonderful cast of British talent has been lined up for Empire of Light.

Described as a love story set in the 1980s, the new movie is the latest project from Sam Mendes.

The Oscar-winning English filmmaker has directed two 007 films, Skyfall and Spectre.

He most recently made the award-winning World War I drama 1917.

Empire of Light is set in and around a beautiful old cinema on the south coast of England.

It was announced earlier this year that The Crown star Olivia Colman would appear in the film.

We’ve now had confirmation of several other cast members.

Presumably playing the male romantic lead alongside Colman is Colin Firth, best known for his roles in Pride & Prejudice and Love Actually.

Firth and Colman have already worked together in recent period drama movie Mothering Sunday.

They’ll be joined by Toby Jones (Detectorists), Crystal Clarke (The Electrical Life of Louis Wain), Tanya Moodie (A Discovery of Witches), and Micheal Ward (Small Axe).

Toby Jones has a full slate ahead, with the fifth Indiana Jones movie, new BBC period drama The English, and an adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s The Canterville Ghost coming up.

He also recently appeared in festive new movie A Boy Called Christmas with Dame Maggie Smith.

Crystal Clarke has also been busy filming the second season of Sanditon, ahead of its premiere in the spring.

Empire of Light is Sam Mendes’ first solo script as a screenwriter, having previously co-written 1917.

He previously commented: “This project is very close to my heart.”

Empire of Light be released next autumn.

Colin Firth’s upcoming World War II movie Operation Mincemeat is also finally arriving in 2022.

Olivia Colman is being replaced as the Queen in The Crown by Downton Abbey movie star Imelda Staunton.

The fifth and sixth seasons of Netflix’s hit drama are currently being filmed back-to-back in England.

The Crown is available on DVD on Amazon.