Daniel Craig Leads New Drama Queer From Challengers Director Luca Guadagnino

Earlier this year, Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers became a sensation, setting the internet abuzz and becoming one of 2024’s most talked about films. Now the director is back with his second film of the year, entitled Queer, which stars Daniel Craig and has also gotten social media talking. It follows a US expat in Mexico who pursues and falls for a younger man, and the story of their relationship. Releasing next month on 13th December, here’s all you need to know:
What is Queer about?
In his first film outside of Bond and Knives Out since 2017, Daniel Craig takes up the starring role in the period drama, which is based on the book of the same name by William S. Boroughs. The novel and its predecessor Junkie are based somewhat on the real-life experiences of the author, centring on Lee (Craig), an American expat living in Mexico City. An outcast who fled New Orleans due to a drug investigation, Lee spends his time drifting through the sprawling city and in and out of its various bars and clubs. He ultimately meets Eugene Allerton (Outer Banks’ Drew Starkey), a US Navy serviceman who’s been discharged and is hooked on drugs. William quickly becomes infatuated with Allerton and begins pursuing a relationship. Allerton is straight but is also attracted to Lee, and so isn’t quite sure he’ll ever fully reciprocate Lee’s feelings. The pair will end up going on a personal journey across the continent.

Queer has already attracted positive critical reviews and buzz, and it looks like the film will be competing alongside Challengers in awards season- we may well see Craig nominated for his first Oscar. The actor himself said to the BBC “It’s about love, but it’s about loss, it’s about loneliness, it’s about yearning, it’s about all of these things. And I mean, my God, if I was writing myself apart, and trying to tick off things that I wanted to do, this would fulfil all of them.”
Meanwhile, the cast also features Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread), Jason Schwartzman (Asteroid City), Henry Zaga (The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare) and singer Omar Apollo. Queer is set to release in UK cinemas next month on 13th December, and you can watch the official trailer below.