Anthony Hopkins goes full world domination in a new post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller

In case you thought Anthony Hopkins was contemplating slippers and day-time telly at the grand age of 88, think again. Not only is he still choosing interesting projects, he’s now heading into post-apocalyptic sci-fi territory—because why not, when you’ve already done cannibals, robots and dementia drama?

His last outing was Locked (2025), a thriller with Bill Skarsgård. But Hopkins evidently isn’t taking a breather, as he’s just signed on for a new film called 2048, directed by Timothy Woodward Jr. If the name’s ringing bells, it’s because it sounds suspiciously similar to Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049. But no, this one’s set in a different dystopia—underground instead of neon skies.

Underground Dystopia

The story is fairly classic post-apocalypse: Earth is knackered, so what’s left of humanity is crammed into a massive subterranean society, which, by the way, is tightly controlled by something called the Collective. Into all this steps Wesley, an ordinary sort who stumbles onto a resistance movement lurking below the surface—standard fare for the genre, but there’s apparently a lot of moral complexity being promised here.

Hopkins is set to play Bryant, the man behind the curtain, so to speak—the architect of the Collective, maintaining his grip via surveillance, psychological intimidation, and good old manipulation. If you enjoy seeing Hopkins play cold and calculating, it looks like you’ll be catered for once again. The lead role of Wesley hasn’t been announced yet, nor has the rest of the cast. But they’re still casting, with filming lined up for Los Angeles at some point soon.

Hopkins and Woodward: A Second Round

This will actually be the second collaboration for Hopkins and Woodward Jr. They’ve already shot a sci-fi horror called Eyes In The Trees (currently in post-production), which apparently went well enough for Hopkins to immediately want another go. Here’s how Hopkins summed up why he signed on for this next film:

Having recently been directed by Tim Woodward Jr, I thought it would be interesting to find another script to film. There were a number of suggestions and ideas briefly talked about, and then, suddenly, the screenplay 2048 emerged from those conversations. The story is complex and fascinating: it taps into the mysterious contradictions that are hidden within human nature, our capacity for both extraordinary creative achievement and compassion, and the terrible mystery of cruelty. Bryant is an equally complex character, intelligent, restrained and frightening in the absolute conviction with which he views the world. I am so looking forward to working with Timothy again and to bring this story to life.

The script for 2048 comes from Sean Ryan. As for behind the scenes: Natalie Burn (Born To Burn Films) and Volodymyr Artemenko (Eastern Film Investment) are both producing. It’s all very early days, so don’t expect a release date to pop up for a while yet. But production wheels are turning, and you can bank on more casting news in due course.

• 2048 is being produced by Natalie Burn and Volodymyr Artemenko, with the screenplay by Sean Ryan and directing duties handled by Timothy Woodward Jr; the rest of the cast is still being lined up.