The Electrical Life of Louis Wain is an upcoming Prime Video film starring Benedict Cumberbatch. It will release in theaters on October 22, 2021, and Prime Video on November 5, 2021. It is based on the real-life exploits of painter and artist Louis Wain.
(Updated on July 29, 2024 – Fact-checked and fixed inconsistencies).
It’s Funny Because They’re Cats Doing People Things!
The extraordinary true story of eccentric British artist Louis Wain (Benedict Cumberbatch), whose playful, sometimes even psychedelic pictures helped to transform the public’s perception of cats forever. Moving from the late 1800s through to the 1930s, we follow the incredible adventures of this inspiring, unsung hero, as he seeks to unlock the “electrical” mysteries of the world and, in so doing, to better understand his own life and the profound love he shared with his wife Emily Richardson (Claire Foy).
Joining Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) are Aimee Lou Wood (Sex Education), Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit), Claire Foy (The Girl in the Spider’s Web), Olivia Colman (Hot Fuzz), Andrea Riseborough (Birdman), Sophia Di Martino (Loki), Jamie Demetriou (Cruella), Toby Jones (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), and Dorothy Atkinson (Pennyworth). The cast looks fantastic, and I’m quite keen to see what each brings to the film. There is so much potential for raw emotion in this story.
Amazon Studios heads up production with Film 4, Shoebox Films, StudioCanal, and SunnyMarch. Will Sharpe (Black Pond) steps in as Director, and Simon Stephenson lends co-writer credits. Daniel Battsek, Ron Halpern, Didier Lupfer, Dan MacRae, Ollie Madden, Julia Oh, and Simon Stephenson serve as Executive Producers.
For those who want to learn more about the Prime Video film The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, the Ridiculous History podcast did two wonderful episodes on his life. As such, going into the film with this knowledge will only enhance the experience. It’s akin to reading a book before seeing the movie. There’s always a little more to be had in the experience. Louis Wain’s story is one full of beauty and sadness. He lived from 1860 until 1939 and was an English artist best known for his drawings of anthropomorphized cats. It is speculated that Louis Wain had schizophrenia, and the onset can be seen in some of his works. It looks like the film will be quite imaginative in its imagery and should be a spectacle for all with Prime Video.
