Benedict Cumberbatch thriller ‘The Courier’ (formerly titled ‘Ironbark’) set for late summer opening

Lionsgate and sister company Roadside Attractions will deliver the Cold War espionage drama The Courier, starring Academy Award nominee Benedict Cumberbatch, to theaters on August 28, 2020. The film screened at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival under the title Ironbark.

The Courier is the true story of an unassuming British businessman Greville Wynne (Cumberbatch) recruited into one of the greatest international conflicts in history. At the behest of the UK’s MI-6 and a CIA operative (Rachel Brosnahan), he forms a covert, dangerous partnership with Soviet officer Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze) in an effort to provide crucial intelligence needed to prevent a nuclear confrontation  and defuse the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Dominic Cooke (ON CHESIL BEACH) directed The Courier from a script by Tom O’Connor (THE HITMAN’S BODYGUARD).  The film is a 42 M&P, SunnyMarch and FilmNation Entertainment  production.  Adam Ackland, Ben Browning, Ben Pugh and Rory Aitken are producers.  Leah Clarke, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ashley Fox, Glen Basner, Alison Cohen, Milan Popelka, Dominic Cooke, Tom O’Connor, Josh Varney are executive producers.

BAFTA nominee Sean Bobbitt (12 YEARS A SLAVE) is director of photography; Oscar® nominee Suzie Davies (MR. TURNER) is production designer; Oscar® nominee Tariq Anwar (THE KING’S SPEECH) and Gareth C. Scales (HOW TO BUILD A GIRL) are editors; Keith Madden (MR. HOLMES) is costume designer; BAFTA® nominee Abel Korzeniowski (NOCTURNAL ANIMALS) is composer.

“Theaters have indicated gradual openings this summer, with health and safety guiding the way.  If everything proceeds favorably, we feel the true spy thriller The Courier, with a must see performance by Benedict Cumberbatch, is just the type of film that will have audiences excited to return to their local cinemas in late August,” said Roadside co-presidents Howard Cohen and Eric d’Arbeloff.