Loved ITV’s After The Flood? Don’t Miss This New Film Starring Jodie Comer

If you loved ITV’s After The Flood, this movie is for you. This Friday (19 January), the film adaptation of Megan Hunter’s 2017 disaster novel, The End We Start From, will arrive in cinemas, with Jodie Comer at the fore as a distraught new mother. Directed by Mahalia Belo and having debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September 2023, here’s everything to know before you watch for yourself.

The End We Start From

© Signature Entertainment

When Megan Hunter released her debut novel in 2017, it was met with critical acclaim, bagging the Foreword Reviews Editor’s Choice Award, and being longlisted for the inaugural Aspen Words Literary Prize. One distinguished fan of The End We Start From is Benedict Cumberbatch, whose production company SunnyMarch acquired the rights to adapt the novel for the screen back in May 2017, before the book even hit the shelves.

‘The End We Start From is a stunning tale of motherhood,’ Cumberbatch told Variety at the time. ‘Megan has crafted a striking and frighteningly real story of a family fighting for survival that will make everyone stop and think about what kind of planet we are leaving behind for our children. We’re beyond thrilled to be bringing this story to life.’

What Is The End We Start From About?

The End We Start From centres on a London woman (Jodie Comer) who gives birth to her first child just as an environmental crisis is beginning to unfold. Forced to leave home in search of safety, the film chronicles their journey from shelter to shelter, with the baby meanwhile seeing, touching and experiencing the world for the first time.

TIFF calls it ‘an apocalyptic drama that still makes room for hope’, summarising:

England, tomorrow: Forced out of London by cataclysmic flooding, a new mother (Jodie Comer), her partner (Joel Fry), and their infant make their way to his parents’ home in the countryside, only to find the situation growing increasingly desperate there, as well.

Jodie Comer and Benedict Cumberbatch in The End We Start From (© Signature Entertainment)

Who Stars?

• Jodie Comer as Mother
• Joel Fry as R
• Katherine Waterston as O
• Benedict Cumberbatch as AB
• Mark Strong
• Gina McKee
• Nina Sosanya

Is It Based On A Book?

Yes, The End We Start From is based on Megan Hunter’s 2017 debut novel of the same name.

Find More Books To Read Before Their Adaptations Are Released Here

Where Was It Filmed?

The End We Start From was filmed in London, as well as at a disused boarding school in Oxfordshire, Carmel College. One filming location that made the headlines was the roof of Piccadilly’s Hard Rock Cafe, where Comer was spotted cradling a baby and sporting a distressed expression. Apt.

Release Date

The End We Start From will arrive in UK cinemas on 19 January 2024.

Where Is It Streaming?

No streaming news just yet, but The End We Start From is being distributed by Signature Entertainment, whose films usually stream on Prime Video. Watch this space.