Eisenberg's 'The Debut' Closes BFI London Film Festival
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- Jesse Eisenberg's musical comedy "The Debut" has been announced as the closing film of the BFI London Film Festival, making its UK premiere at the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall on October 18.
- Julianne Moore stars as a shy woman unexpectedly cast in a local production of an original musical, opposite Paul Giamatti as the strong-willed, enigmatic director, with a supporting cast that includes Eisenberg, Halle Bailey, Bernadette Peters, Colton Ryan, Havana Rose Liu, Lilli Cooper, Maulik Pancholy and Bonnie Milligan.
- "The Debut" premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival in September before heading to London, with Lionsgate releasing it in the UK on January 15 and A24 launching it in the U.S. on December 11.
- Eisenberg was last at LFF in 2024 with "A Real Pain," his second directorial feature, after which co-star Kieran Culkin went on to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor the following year.
- The 70th BFI London Film Festival runs October 7 to 18.
Why it matters: Eisenberg follows up his Oscar-adjacent "A Real Pain" with a starry musical anchored by two Oscar winners — Moore and Giamatti — giving the festival a high-profile closing night ahead of A24's December 11 U.S. theatrical launch and Lionsgate's January 15 UK rollout, positioning the film for transatlantic awards-season visibility.
