DOCTOR JEKYLL Eddie Izzard “Hammer” horror – reviews and trailer

Doctor Jekyll is a 2023 British horror film and a modern re-imagining of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic 1886 novella ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’. This new adaptation focuses on a reclusive Nina Jekyll (Eddie Izzard) finding friendship with her newly hired help, Rob (Scott Chambers), who must work together to prevent Hyde from destroying her life.

Directed and co-produced by Joe Stephenson (Agatha and the Midnight Murders; Chicken) from a screenplay written by Dan Kelly-Mulhern. Also produced by Liam Coutts and Guy de Beaujeu. Executive produced by Jamie Anderson, Christian Angermayer, Patrick Fischer, Piers Hunt, Andrew Keats and Richard Kondal.

The B Good Picture Company production stars Eddie Izzard (Hannibal series; Igor; The Avengers; Shadow of the Vampire; Tales from the Crypt series), Scott Chambers (Malevolent; Blood Money; Fox Trap), Lindsay Duncan (A Banquet; Frankenstein 2007), Robyn Cara, Jonathan Hyde, Morgan Watkins and Simon Callow (The Phantom of the Opera 2004).

Meanwhile, regular visitors to MOVIES & MANIA will know actor Scott Chambers better as Scott Jeffrey – the director, writer and/or producer (over 100 credits!) of a multitude of British low-budget science fiction and horror films such as Exorcist Vengeance; The Gardener; Spider in the Attic; The Curse of Humpty Dumpty; The Mutation; Hatched; Dragon Fury; Conjuring the Genie; HellKat; Bats; Don’t Speak; Cupid; ClownDoll; The Final Scream and The Bad Nun.

Hammer Studios secured Doctor Jekyll a UK cinema release which led to some over-eager websites exclaiming that it is a continuation of the legacy that the legendary Hammer Films production company made with their The Two Faces of Dr Jekyll (1960) and Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde (1971). It isn’t.

As far as we are aware, none of the producers of Doctor Jekyll (2022) has any connection with any of the films made by the previously resurrected supposed ‘Hammer’ company that produced Let Me In (2010), The Resident (2011), Wake Wood (2011), The Woman in Black (2012), The Quiet Ones (2014), The Woman in Black: Angel of Death (2015) and The Lodge (2019). In name only. Not really Hammer in spirit or talent.

Trailer 1:

Trailer 2:

Release:
In the UK, after a very brief cinema release, Doctor Jekyll was made available on Digital Download on March 11, 2024.
Hammer released Izzard’s Doctor Jekyll film theatrically in select US locations and on VOD on August 2, 2024.

Background:
Eddie Izzard previously stated that she was: “very excited to be playing the role of Nina Jekyll in this new film and it’s wonderful to be able to re-imagine this classic story in a modern way.”

Directed Joe Stephenson added to that, praising Izzard as, “being the extraordinary and versatile actress she is, playing against Scott’s natural talent to make us believe in the good in people, I can’t wait to bring this suspenseful take on the iconic classic to life.”

Cast and characters:
Eddie Izzard … Doctor Jekyll; Scott Chambers [aka Scott Jeffrey] … Rob; Lindsay Duncan … Sandra; Robyn Cara … Maeve; Jonathan Hyde; Morgan Watkins … Ewan; Simon Callow; Tony Jayawardena … Malcolm; Isabella Inchbald … Nina’s Mother

Technical specs:
1 hour 29 minutes

Film facts:
Includes a brief clip of Ed Wood’s Plan 9 from Outer Space.

Notes:
We initially posted about Doctor Jekyll way back on May 20, 2022.

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