Ralph Fiennes will step into the role of Sir Henry Cecil for Unbeaten, once again teaming up with StudioCanal, the team behind Conclave.  Nora Fingscheidt will direct the project, with filming set to begin next year.

The synopsis for the film reads as follows: “…real-life legendary racehorse trainer Henry Cecil in his final years as he emerges from disgrace, reunites with the love of his life Jane and begins a partnership with the racehorse Frankel.”  Cecil turned Frankel into a star, with the horserace going undefeated in all 14 starts, getting crowned champion one final time at Champion Stakes at the iconic Ascot Racecourse.

Bash Doran penned the screenplay, and Fiennes discussed how he was totally unfamiliar with Cecil until having the opportunity to read said screenplay.  Fiennes has starred in The Grand Budapest Hotel, 28 Years Later, The Menu, In Bruges, Harry Potter films (Voldemort), and Conclave.  He was nominated for an Academy Award in 2025 for the latter.  Fiennes will also reunite with House Productions’ Tessa Ross, another producer of Conclave.

Escapade Pictures and 42’s Rory Aitken will also be a producer.  Financing is fully through StudioCanal, set to handle worldwide sales in the markets of, “U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Benelux, Australia and New Zealand.”  Executive producers on the project will include: Anna Marsh, Ron Halpern, Joe Naftalin, Fiennes and Doran.

BBC Film and Access Entertainment will also have a hand in the project through development.