From Gladiator II to
The Day of the Jackal: The Best Cultural Content to Look Forward to This Autumn
Imaginary Worlds of the
Future
This autumn, the future is the main theme, with stories about
dystopias, utopias, and apocalyptic events. In fiction, we have Tim Winton’s
Juice, a story of survival in a sun-scorched future, while Richard Powers’
Playground explores underwater life and artificial intelligence during
environmental collapse. On the other hand, Ali Smith’s Gliff, inspired by
Kafka, tells the story of a state that has become hostile, and Wayne McGregor’s
new ballet MaddAddam is based on Margaret Atwood’s dystopian trilogy, imagining
life after a bio-engineered disaster.
In the fashion world, designers Rick Owens, Fendi, and Iris
Van Herpen’s autumn/winter 2024 collections have an unmistakably utopian style.
In art, Tate Modern’s Electric Dreams has a retro-futuristic vibe, looking at
how artists imagined the future over the last fifty years.
Family Matters
This autumn, family relationships and challenges are explored
in different cultural fields. In Sally Rooney’s highly anticipated novel
Intermezzo, two brothers mourn their father, while Tessa Hadley’s novella The
Party focuses on two sisters whose lives change in one night. Fatma Aydemir’s
novel Djinns uncovers hidden memories and secret stories in a family at the end
of the 20th century.
Mid-Life Stories
As Bette Davis famously said, "Getting older is not for
the weak." This autumn, there are several cultural offerings to help deal
with mid-life challenges. In Much More To Come, Eleanor Mills talks about
handling a mid-life crisis and embracing a new way of living. Neneh Cherry’s
memoir A Thousand Threads reflects on life, death, and ageing, while Dorothy
Parker in Hollywood by Gail Crowth looks at the lesser-known middle years of
the famous writer in Los Angeles.
In the film world, the comedy-drama My Old Ass might look
like a teen movie, but it is actually more about mid-life reflections.
Big Names
September marks the start of "awards season" and
the time when big names in literature release their new works. Some of the
major names include Alan Hollinghurst (Our Evenings), Richard Powers
(Playground), and Haruki Murakami (The City and its Uncertain Walls). In
cinema, Ridley Scott’s epic Gladiator II, starring Paul Mescal and Pedro
Pascal, is coming out this autumn.
The State of Nations
Jonathan Coe, the author of What A Carve Up!, often explores
why Britain is in the state it is. His latest novel The Proof Of My Innocence
is a murder mystery set during Liz Truss’s brief time as Prime Minister. On a
lighter note, the Canadian film Rumours turns from satire to horror-comedy as a
group of world leaders faces zombies at a G7 summit. Netflix’s The Diplomat
returns for a second season, with Keri Russell as the US Ambassador to the UK,
dealing with the complexities of international relations.
International
Conspiracies
This autumn, there are many stories about spies and political
plots. Sky is releasing a 10-part series based on Frederick Forsyth’s The Day
of the Jackal, starring Lashana Lynch and Eddie Redmayne. Netflix’s The Madness
stars Colman Domingo as a media pundit who uncovers a murder connected to a
political conspiracy. The film Conclave, based on Robert Harris’s novel, stars
Ralph Fiennes as a cardinal overseeing the election of a new Pope, while
discovering secrets hidden everywhere.
This article gives an overview of different cultural
materials coming out this autumn, including books, films, TV series, art, and
fashion, highlighting how they center around themes like the future, family,
mid-life, and international conspiracies.
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