The trailer for Fackham Hall has dropped, and if you’re a fan of period dramas laced with absurdity, this one’s for you. Directed by Jim O’Hanlon (Catastrophe, A Touch of Cloth), the upcoming comedy is a raucous spoof that mashes up the elegance of Downton Abbey with the slapstick insanity of Airplane! and Monty Python. It’s the kind of film where tea is spilled—literally—and crumpets are crumpeted in ways that would make high society blush.
The story follows lovable pickpocket Eric Noone (Ben Radcliffe), who cons his way into a job at the opulent Fackham Hall manor house. He swiftly climbs the ranks, sparking a forbidden romance with the lady of the house, Rose Davenport (Thomasin McKenzie of Leave No Trace fame). But when a mysterious murder disrupts the household, Eric finds himself framed, plunging the aristocratic family into peril. It’s upstairs-downstairs whodunit with a twist of irreverence: think silver spoons up wrong places and fox hunts gone wildly wrong.
The ensemble is a delight. Damian Lewis (Billions) chews scenery as the imperious Lord Davenport, blasting away at wildlife with gleeful abandon. Tom Felton (Harry Potter‘s Draco Malfoy) slithers as Eric’s conniving rival Archibald, while Katherine Waterston (The Invisible Man) and Emma Laird (Dune) add layers of wit and intrigue. Supporting turns from Ramon Tikaram, Tim McMullan, Anna Maxwell Martin, Sue Johnston, and Tom Goodman-Hill round out the madcap cast. Screenwriters Jimmy Carr, Patrick Carr, and the Dawson Brothers (Steve, Andrew, and Tim Inman) infuse it with sharp, British bite—Carr’s deadpan humor shines in his vicar role.
Filmed in Yorkshire’s stunning landscapes, Fackham Hall captures the grandeur of the English countryside while poking relentless fun at class pretensions. The trailer is a riot: Lewis gleefully guns down animals mid-flight, Felton sneers like a cartoon villain, and Radcliffe’s Eric stumbles through high tea with wide-eyed charm. “Born to aristocracy, bred for idiocy” isn’t just the tagline—it’s the vibe, promising laughs that land like perfectly timed pratfalls.
Bleecker Street, the distributor, has scheduled a U.S. theatrical release for December 5, 2025, positioning it as holiday fare for those craving something lighter than Dickens but sharper than eggnog. In the UK, expect a quick jump to streaming or cinemas soon after. Early buzz from Sundance screenings (where it screened in 2024) calls it “a guilty pleasure for Gosford Park lovers with a Monty Python fetish.”
If you’re tired of earnest period pieces and ready for a whodunit where the “who” might be everyone (and the “dun” is delightfully dumb), Fackham Hall looks like the tonic. It’s the love child we didn’t know we needed—stiff upper lips meeting silly string. Mark your calendars; this one’s bound to crumpet its way into holiday viewing.
