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article news schedule Apr 8, 2026 visibility 9 link 17 artists, 2 galleries

The Art of ‘The Christophers’: How the Film Created an Artist’s Fabled Oeuvre

Steven Soderbergh’s new film, The Christophers, explores the complexities of artistic legacy and authenticity through the story of Julian Sklar, a fictional washed-up artist played by Ian McKellen. The plot follows Sklar’s children as they hire an art restorer, played by Michaela Coel, to secretly finish their father’s legendary unfinished series to capitalize on his market value. To ground the film in reality, screenwriter Ed Solomon consulted with art world figures like dealer George Barker and artists Jann Haworth and Derek Boshier, while production designer Antonia Lowe and painter Barnaby Gorton created the physical artworks seen on screen.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

article culture schedule Apr 10, 2026 visibility 7 link 14 artists, 2 galleries

In The Christophers, an aging artist’s unfinished masterpieces are subjects of speculation and scheming

The Christophers is a new film starring Ian McKellen as Julian Sklar, a once-celebrated 1970s painter who has become a social pariah and reality TV villain. The plot follows a 'reverse art heist' where Sklar’s estranged children hire a restorer and former forger, played by Michaela Coel, to secretly finish a series of nine incomplete portraits of his former lover. The goal is to inflate the works' market value so they can be 'discovered' as masterpieces upon the aging artist's death.

newspaper The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

rate_review review schedule Apr 9, 2026 visibility 2 link 3 artists

‘The Christophers’ Review: Fine Art, Frayed Artists

Director Steven Soderbergh’s latest film, 'The Christophers,' features standout performances by Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel in a narrative centered on the high-stakes intersection of the art world and global finance. The story follows the psychological and professional fraying of artists and dealers as they navigate a landscape defined by ego, commerce, and the pursuit of prestige.

newspaper New York Times Art open_in_new Read original