Benedict Cumberbatch in Grief Movie ‘The Thing With Feathers’ Trailer
by Alex Billington
October 1, 2025
Source: YouTube
“Only until you don’t need me anymore…” Briarcliff Entertainment has revealed an official trailer for a film titled The Thing With Feathers, a grief drama starring Benedict Cumberbatch as a widow dad. This premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival earlier this year to mostly mixed to negative reviews, and will next play at London & Sitges before opening in theaters in November. “An emotional gut punch wrapped in a dark, fantastical nightmare” – The Thing With Feathers is adapted from the bestselling book written by Max Porter. Left to raise two young sons after the unexpected death of his wife, Dad’s life begins to unravel. Grief is messy and chaotic enough as it is, but when it takes the form of an unhinged and unwanted house guest taunting him from the shadows, things start to spiral out of control… It’s a powerful story about a grieving father struggling to raise his young sons who is helped by an imaginative creature called Crow. The practical crow creature is designed by Conor O’Sullivan – but they don’t show him in full in this trailer. The cast also includes Vinette Robinson, David Thewlis, & Eric Lampaert as Crow. I saw this at Sundance and I’m not a big fan… This trailer is even better than the film, putting it all together in a 2 minute package.
Here’s the official trailer (+ poster) for Dylan Southern’s film The Thing With Feathers, from YouTube:
🐦⬛ Left to raise two young sons after the unexpected death of his wife, Dad’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) life begins to unravel. Grief is messy and chaotic enough as it is, but when it takes the form of an unhinged and unwanted house guest – Crow – taunting him from the shadows, things start to spiral out of control… but maybe that’s exactly what Dad needs. The Thing With Feathers is written and directed by filmmaker Dylan Southern, director of the music docs No Distance Left to Run, Shut Up & Play the Hits, and Meet Me in the Bathroom previously, plus many other music videos and short films. Adapted from the book titled “Grief Is the Thing with Feathers” written by Max Porter. Produced by Andrea Cornwell, Adam Ackland, and Leah Clarke. This initially premiered at both the 2025 Sundance & Berlin Film Festival earlier this year, and it’s playing next at the London Film Festival. Briarcliff Ent. will debut Southern’s The Thing With Feathers film in select US theaters starting on November 28th, 2025 coming soon this fall. Who wants to watch?
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