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Prisoner’s Daughter(2023) is an upcoming drama film directed byCatherine Hardwicke, the filmmaker who recently madeMafia MammawithToni Collette. Written byMark Bacci,the film starsBrian CoxandKate Beckinsalein lead roles. The plot ofPrisoner’s Daughterfollows Cox as a prisoner and father who is imprisoned for 12 years, and after being diagnosed with a terminal illness, he tries to reconnect with his daughter, played by Beckinsale, while serving out his sentence.
The film premiered at the2022 Toronto International Film Festival, where it received mixed reviews. However, considering Hardwicke has a reputation for making films on offbeat, unexplored subjects that tend to attract a niche audience, there is a potential forPrisoner’s Daughterto also get some attention once the film hits the theaters. If you are moved by stories of human connections and family relationships, then you are likely to enjoy this drama film.
As the film is about to hit the theaters this summer, here’s a quick and comprehensive guide that we have put together with all the details, including the theatrical release date, plot, trailer, cast and characters, and everything we know so far aboutPrisoner’s Daughter.
Editor’s Note: This article was last updated on May 14 with the trailer.
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When and Where Is the Prisoner’s Daughter Releasing?
Prisoner’s Daughterhad its global premiere at TIFF 2022 on July 23, 2025. And now, the drama film will be getting a limited release byVertical, arriving at US theaters on June 06, 2025.
Is There a Prisoner’s Daughter Trailer?
Thefirst trailer forPrisoner’s Daughterwas released on July 21, 2025. The roughly two-minute video showcases the tense relationships that form the heart of the story. Watch it in the player above.
Who’s In the Prisoner’s Daughter Cast?
The cast ofPrisoner’s Daughteris headlined by Kate Beckinsale and Brian Cox. A Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe, and Laurence Olivier Award-winner, Cox is best known for his performances in films likeRob Roy,Braveheart,Nuremberg,The Bourne Identity,Troy, andChurchill, among others. Since 2018, he has been playing the role ofLogan Roy in HBO’sSuccession. He’s set to next appear in the 2024 filmsThe Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,The Electric State, andParenting.
Beckinsale is most recognized for her role in theUnderworldfilm series, as well as the hit 90s rom-comSerendipity. She has also appeared in award-winning films likePearl Harbor,The Aviator,Love & Friendship, and more. Beckinsale will next appear inCharlie Day’sFool ParadiseandCanary Black.
Cox portrays the role of Max, the titular prisoner who is serving a sentence and wants to reconnect with his daughter. Beckinsale stars as the titular daughter, Maxine, who is estranged from her father until she learns about his illness.Prisoner’s Daughteralso featuresGhostbustersstarErnie Hudsonas Hank,GothamactorChristopher Converyas Ezra,ParenthoodactorTyson Ritteras Tyler, andThis is UsstarJon Huertasas Joseph, among many others.
Related:7 Scene-Stealing Brian Cox Performances
Who’s Making Prisoner’s Daughter?
Prisoner’s Daughteris directed by filmmaker Catherine Hardwicke, from a screenplay written by Mark Bacci. A director, production designer, and screenwriter, Hardwicke worked in production design on popular 90s titles likeTombstoneandThree Kingsbefore she made her directorial debut withThirteenin 2003, which earned her a Sundance Award for direction and was nominated for several other awards. She isbest known for directing 2008’sTwilight, among other films likeLords of Dogtown,Red Riding Hood,Miss You Already, and very recently,Mafia Mamma.She was also an executive producer onOlivia Wilde’sDon’t Worry Darling. Hardwicke is next set to direct the pilot and executive produce the upcoming series,The Raven Cycle.
Mark Bacci is an accomplished writer-producer, who is best known for his work on the television seriesBetween,Real Detective, andNorthern Rescue. He also serves as one of the executive producers forPrisoner’s Daughter, withSam Okun,Marina Grasic, andDavid Haringserving as producers.Noah Greenbergserves as the film’s cinematographer, who is best known for his work on films likeMost Beautiful Island,The Night Clerk,Lizzie, and television series likeDoom PatrolandChannel Zero. The score producer ofWhat If…?,Ms. Marvel, andLovecraft Country,Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum, composes the music forPrisoner’s Daughter, along withStephen Light.
What Is the Story of Prisoner’s Daughter?
Prisoner’s Daughter, as described by the film’s creators, is a story of human connection and family relationships, where Max, a prisoner serving a 12-year sentence in prison, fights for the love of his daughter, Maxine. When he is diagnosed with a terminal illness, Max tries to connect with Maxine, who has been estranged for a long time.
Related:‘Cabinet of Curiosities’: Catherine Hardwicke on Collaborating With Guillermo del Toro
More Films by Catherine Hardwicke That You Can Watch Right Now
From 2003’sThirteento 2023’sMafia Mamma, Catherine Hardwicke has made several films and directed episodes of popular television series likeThis is UsandGuillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities. Her films are most noted for featuring troubled teenagers, empowering female protagonists, unusual camera work, and documentary-style shots. While you wait forPrisoner’s Daughterto hit the theaters this summer, you can catch up on other films by the filmmaker.
Thirteen (2003)
In her directorial debut, Hardwicke collaborated with the then-teenageNikki Reed, who also co-wrote the screenplay for the film with Hardwicke and stars as one of the protagonists. Set in LA,Thirteenis loosely based on Reed’s adolescent life from ages 12 to 13 and follows Tracy, played byEvan Rachel Wood, a seventh-grade student who befriends a troubled classmate, Evie (Reed), and gets involved in sex, crime, and drug abuse. The cast also includesHolly Hunter,Jeremy Sisto,Brady Corbet, andDeborah Kara Unger, among others. Debuted at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival, the teen drama film was successful at the box office and earned Hardwicke a Directing Award – Dramatic, and nominations for Holly Hunter and Evan Rachel Wood at the Academy, BAFTA, and Golden Globe Awards, winning Reed an Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance.
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Lords of Dogtown (2005)
In her second feature directorial, Hardwicke explores the skateboarding culture that emerged in the 70s in Los Angeles, in a fictionalized account.Lords of Dogtownis based on the documentaryDogtown and Z-BoysbyStacy Peralta, who also wrote the screenplay for the film. StarringEmile Hirsch,Victor Rasuk,John Robinson, andHeath Ledgerin main roles, the biographical drama follows three young surfers and skateboarder friends Tony, Jay, and Stacy who revolutionize the world of skateboarding, after a major drought hits California in the 70s. On its release, the film had mixed reviews but later garnered a cult following, with skateboarding fans considering it to be the best film ever made on the sport.Lords of Dogtownalso became popular for its soundtrack which features songs fromDeep Purple,David Bowie,Black Sabbath, andJimi Hendrix, among others.
Twilight (2008)
Based onStephanie Meyer’s internationally bestselling YA novel of the same name, Hardwicke directed this 2008 film from a screenplay byMelissa Rosenberg. It is the first installment inThe Twilight Sagaseries. StarringKristen StewartandRobert Pattinsonin their breakthrough roles as Bella Swan and Edward Cullen, the plot follows Bella, a socially awkward teenager who falls in love with a vampire, Edward. The first film in the series focuses on Bella’s life when she moves in with her father and her budding relationship with the mysterious Edward and how Edward and his family strive to protect Bella from a rival coven of vampires.Twilightwas both a critical and commercial success and gained international recognition, making Hardwicke the most commercially successful female film director at the time. She also received a Young Hollywood Award for her direction and both Stewart and Pattinson’s performances were highly acclaimed.
