What is Michael Flatley's Blackbird and why was it delayed?
The film is hitting theatres four years after it first premiered.
You may know Michael Flatley as a dancer, primarily for his roles in Lord of the Dance and Riverdance. However, prepare to see him in a whole new light.
Flatley now has a film coming out, on which he was a writer, director, producer and lead actor. The film, called Blackbird, had become something of a Hollywood legend, not only because of its star who self-financed the project, but also because of a lengthy delay to its release.
But what exactly is Blackbird, why is there such a mystery around it and when can audiences see it?
Read on for everything you need to know about Michael Flatley's Blackbird and why it was delayed.
What is Michael Flatley's Blackbird?
Blackbird is a self-financed film produced and directed by Lord of the Dance frontman Michael Flatley. The film is a spy-thriller, shot mostly in Barbados, which sees Flatley star as a troubled secret agent.
At the start of the film he retires from service and opens a nightclub in the Caribbean, in order to escape his dark past. However, when an old flame arrives they reignite their passions for one another, but she also brings danger.
The film co-stars Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight, The Expendables), Patrick Bergin (EastEnders) and Nicole Evans (The Bay). It had its world premiere at Raindance Film Festival in London on 28th September 2018, at which journalists were reportedly shut out and no reviews were produced.
Why was the film delayed?
The film has become stuff of legend due to its abrupt disappearance following the premiere. No updates were given about its release and everyone involved appeared to go quiet about it.
There is some speculation that this could be in relation to comments and jokes Blackbird faced in the press around the time of its premiere.
A poster for the film, which featured the older male cast wearing suits surrounded by younger, female cast members wearing bikinis drew criticism. Flatley said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that he had "nothing to do with making the posters" and that the film is a "very respectful movie" when it comes to female representation.
For whatever reason, news about the film died down and it was unclear what had happened to it.
The next piece in the puzzle came three years later when the film screened at Monaco Streaming Film Festival in July 2021. However, again, nothing else was heard about its release – until this week.
When and where is it now being released?
Yesterday (14th July 2022), Wildcard Distribution tweeted a trailer for the film and announced an Irish release date of 2nd September 2022, meaning eager fans in Ireland who have been following the film's journey for four years will finally have the chance to see it.
There is currently no update regarding a wider international release, so fans in other territories will have to keep sitting tight.
You can watch the trailer above now and finally get a sense of what all the fuss has been about.
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Blackbird will release in Irish cinemas on 2nd September 2022. Visit our Movies hub for the latest news and features, or find something to watch tonight with our TV Guide.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
