‘On Swift Horses’: Jacob Elordi, Daisy Edgar Jones led Love Triangle to Release on April 25th!!

Sony Pictures Classics is swiftly sending Jacob Elordi and Daisy Edgar-Jones to theaters with their new neo-western novel adaptation, On Swift Horses. After making waves during its world premiere at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, the star-studded drama is now set to premiere in front of general audiences on April 25, bringing a sweeping tale of queer love, discovery, and fresh starts in the American West. Before that, however, the film will take a brief detour to SXSW where it’s set to close out the event which kicks off on March 7.

On Swift Horses is based on the novel of the same name by Shannon Pufahl and centers on Muriel who, along with her husband Lee is about to start a new life in California following the latter’s return from the Korean War. Their hopes are quickly dashed upon the arrival of Lee’s charming wayward brother, Julius, who is eager to head to Las Vegas despite Lee’s desire for them all to settle down in San Diego. After sparking a treacherous love triangle over shared repression, Julius runs off to pursue his secret romance with a gambling man he met at a casino. His decision spurs Muriel to seek something more and defy the conservative era and life she’s in. She begins her own secret life of betting on racehorses, discovering an unexpected love along the way upon meeting her neighbor, Sandra.

Bringing this complicated romantic tale to life is Emmy winner Daniel Minahan, who previously directed Deadwood: The Movie and has helmed episodes of Game of Thrones, American Crime Story, and Fellow Travelers. The screenplay, meanwhile, was penned by Bryce Kass. Together, they sought to make an adaptation of Pufahl‘s novel that stood the test of time as it addressed the ever-relevant issue of queer love and repression. In an interview with Collider‘s Steve Weintraub at TIFF, Minahan explained how the decision to make a period piece allowed the duo to open viewers up to history while giving them more freedom in exploring its themes:

“Because it’s a film about people trying to find love in a time that’s unsympathetic to them, it has a timeless quality to it. It’s about a lot of different types of love and affection that maybe at that time didn’t have names like we do today, but it addresses all of these ideas. That was important to me. By making it a period film, it gave us the freedom to really explore these things without having to look at them through a contemporary lens.”

‘On Swift Horses’ Features a Stable Full of Stars

While the duo of Elordi and Edgar-Jones as Muriel and Julius already bring a lot of star power, they had a stellar supporting cast to work with including Will Poulter, Diego Calva, and Sasha Calle. On Swift Horses is also just the beginning of a packed year for one of its stars. Elordi has several novel adaptations in his future, starting with The Narrow Road to the Deep North which will be unveiled to the world during Berlinale beginning next week. He’s also bound for Guillermo del Toro‘s much-anticipated Frankenstein this November, followed by Emerald Fennell‘s Wuthering Heights in 2026. Coming off Twisters, Edgar-Jones is decidedly less busy, though she’s set to reunite with her Under the Banner of Heaven co-star Andrew Garfield at some point for the still-in-development Voyagers.