Kevin Spacey’s Return to Directing
Kevin Spacey is making his long-awaited directorial comeback with the sci-fi thriller The Portal Of Force, marking his first feature film direction in over two decades. This appearance at the Venice Film Festival will also be a significant milestone for the actor, as it is his first visit to the festival in 20 years.
Film Premiere Details
The film’s producer, Elledgy Media, announced that the trailer for The Portal Of Force will premiere on August 29 during a gala dinner featuring live performances from an opera singer and a Georgian dance group, attended by the cast and crew. While Spacey is confirmed to be part of the film, his representative has yet to respond to requests for comment.
Venice Film Festival Schedule
The Venice Film Festival is set to run from August 27 to September 6. Although Spacey will be present for the gala, the festival has confirmed that there is no formal Kevin Spacey event on its official agenda. Similarly, at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Spacey participated in an event that was separate from the festival’s official lineup, marking his first return to the Croisette since 2016.
About the Film
The Portal Of Force was filmed in Mexico between 2023 and 2024 and features a notable cast, including Spacey, Dolph Lundgren, Tyrese Gibson, Brianna Hildebrand, Disha Patani, Eric Roberts, and Lado Okhotnikov. The story revolves around a conflict between two ancient supernatural factions: the Holiguards and the Statiguards. The protagonist, who embodies the heritage of both sides, must avert an impending disaster while the Statiguards plan a nuclear attack on Paris using mind control and cosmic energy.
Production and Future Plans
Writers Lado Okhotnikov and Sergey Torchilin collaborated on this USA / Mexico / India / UAE / Portugal co-production, with ambitions to launch a new franchise. While the film is slated for release in 2025, specific details are still pending.
Producer’s Vision
Elvira Paterton-Gavrilova, the producer from Elledgy Media Group, reflected on the project, stating, “This project was both a challenge and an inspiration for us. Holiguards is a story about choice, strength, and inner conflict, told through the language of cinema.” She emphasized the importance of supporting innovative productions that showcase complexity and honesty.
Spacey’s Journey and Legal Challenges
Spacey, a two-time Oscar winner, attended the Italian Global Series Festival in Rimini in June, where he expressed excitement about returning to work significantly. He acknowledged forgiving “those who rushed to judgment” regarding his past legal issues but clarified that he would not collaborate with them again.
Since 2017, Spacey has faced numerous legal challenges that impacted his career. He was acquitted of sexual assault charges involving four men in the UK two years ago and was found not liable in a civil suit in the U.S. filed by actor Anthony Rapp. Allegations of inappropriate behavior during his time on House Of Cards and in UK theater circles have also emerged.
Currently, Spacey is dealing with a new lawsuit from actor Ruari Cannon, who was part of a 2024 documentary about him. Spacey denied wrongdoing concerning Cannon’s allegations, stating they are “anonymized and non-specific” and criticized the documentary for insufficient response time.
While facing these challenges, Spacey continues to seek work in independent films. His role in the film The Man Who Drew God by Franco Nero has led to additional projects, including the conspiracy thriller The Awakening, which premiered at Cannes with sales managed by Cloud9 Studios, as well as other thrillers such as Peter Five Eight and 1780.
