Bryan Singer Secretly Shot A New Movie With Jon Voight — And It's Already Stirring Controversy

Well, this is unexpected: Bryan Singer, yes that Bryan Singer, quietly made a new movie. It is apparently finished, has some people whispering about awards, and is almost certainly going to be a lightning rod the second anyone sees it.

The project

According to Variety, Singer wrapped a secret feature in 2023 after shooting in Greece. It stars Jon Voight and is described as a period drama centered on a father-son relationship. One person familiar with the cut says it follows an architect trying to redeem himself. Israeli filmmaker Yariv Horowitz — the director of the Israeli drama Rock the Casbah (often confused with the Bill Murray comedy Rock the Kasbah) — was involved.

The story is set in the Middle East in the late 1970s or 1980s, during the period when Israel occupied parts of Lebanon. Someone who has seen the movie but was not part of making it called it well crafted and a real awards contender, but also flagged that the subject matter is going to ignite debate fast.

"It makes Israel look really bad and could be polarizing... a really well made film with awards-season potential" and "going to be a huge hotbed of controversy."

So when do we actually see it?

A domestic distribution deal is said to be close. As for the rest of the world, it is unclear if international rights will be in play at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival. Translation: the rollout is in motion, but nobody is rushing to plant a flag publicly just yet.

The baggage that is not going away

Singer has not been charged with a crime, but his off-screen history is a matter of public record and will dominate any conversation around this film. Quick recap:

• Back in 1997, teenage boys on the set of Apt Pupil alleged they were told to strip naked for a shower scene, claiming it was for sexual gratification.
• Multiple additional lawsuits over the years have accused him of drugging and assaulting underage boys.
• On the professional front, he developed a reputation for erratic on-set behavior and was fired from Bohemian Rhapsody.
• He was once attached to direct a Red Sonja remake for Millennium Films, then dropped.
• He reportedly started a self-financed documentary to address the allegations against him; nothing substantial has surfaced since.

The uncomfortable part

Even if the film is as strong as some insiders say, it is hard to imagine Hollywood rolling out a red carpet without hesitation. The setting alone — late Cold War-era Middle East, with Israel depicted harshly — is going to spark headlines. Add Singer, and you can practically hear the discourse spinning up already.

Bottom line: a Jon Voight-led, period father-son drama from Bryan Singer exists, is finished, and could be both awards bait and a PR nightmare. Watch the distribution chessboard over the next few weeks — that will tell us how confident (or cautious) the players really are.