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Soderbergh’s The Christophers Opens in France to Praise for McKellen and Its Art‑world Satire

Positive French reviews single out Ian McKellen, casting the film as a witty probe of artistic authenticity that highlights Soderbergh’s renewed productivity.

Overview

  • The Christophers, directed by Steven Soderbergh, opened in French cinemas on June 10, 2026 and runs about 1 hour 40 minutes.
  • Ian McKellen stars as Julian Sklar, an ageing pop‑artist, with Michaela Coel playing a restorer and former forger hired to finish unfinished canvases for Sklar’s heirs.
  • Critics describe the film as a comedy‑drama framed as a heist that uses forgery and restoration to question what makes art authentic.
  • Early reviews from multiple French outlets give broadly positive marks, repeatedly praising McKellen’s performance and the film’s sharp tone.
  • Coverage places the film within Soderbergh’s active late career, noting this project as part of a recent burst of work and roughly his 35th feature, and suggests it may renew discussion about value and legacy in the contemporary art market.