Queer: release date, trailer, cast, plot and everything we know about the Daniel Craig movie (2025)

Daniel Craig has been the star of two major franchises, James Bond and Knives Out, but his 2024 new movie sees him team with one of the most acclaimed directors working right now, Luca Guadagnino, for what could be a big-time Oscar contender this year: Queer.

Queer is an adaptation of the William S. Burroughs novel of the same name. A seminal figure of the Beat Generation, Queer actually came later in Burroughs' career, first being published in 1985. Still, this is the first time that the novel has been adapted for a movie.

Sure to be one of the more talked about movies of 2024, read on to find out everything you need to know about Queer, including who else is in it, when it may come out and its advanced buzz.

Queer release date

Queer is now playing in limited movie theaters in the US; we've got all the details on how to watch Queer right now. For those in the UK, Queer premieres on December 13.

A24 recently acquired the movie, adding it to its slate of 2024 movies that includes Love Lies Bleeding, Civil War, MaXXXine, Sing Sing, A Different Man, We Live in Time, Heretic, Babygirl and more.

Queer cast

The aforementioned Daniel Craig is going to be playing the main role of William Lee, an American expat living a solitary life in 1950s Mexico City. This is the first non-James Bond/Benoit Blanc role that Craig has had in a movie since 2017. Outside those two iconic franchises, he has notably starred in Logan Lucky, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Munich and Layer Cake.

Leading the way opposite Craig is Drew Starkey as Eugene Allerton, the young man who catches William Lee’s eye. Starkey will be known to most for his role in the Netflix TV series Outer Banks, though he’s also starred in 2022's Hellraiser, The Terminal List and The Devil All the Time.

Other members of the cast include Oscar-nominee Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris), Jason Schwartzman (Megalopolis, Asteroid City), Henrique Zaga (The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare) and musician Omar Apollo.

Queer plot

Justin Kuritzkes, who also wrote the screenplay for Luca Guadagnino's other 2024 movie Challengers, wrote the screenplay for Queer. Here is the official synopsis:

"In 1950s Mexico City, William Lee, an American ex-pat in his late forties, leads a solitary life amidst a small American community. However, the arrival in town of Eugene Allerton, a young student, stirs William into finally establishing a meaningful connection with someone."

Queer trailer

The trailer for Queer has arrived online, featuring a soothing cover of Nirvana's "All Apologies." Watch it below:

Here's another trailer previewing Daniel Craig's acclaimed performance:

Also take a look at this clip of the movie:

Queer reviews

Queer had its world premiere at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, so the first batch of reviews has begun to be published online. As of December 4, Queer has a "Certified Fresh" 78% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. A quick sampling of the reviews has critics calling Queer a "triumph" (Awards Daily's Zhuo-Ning Su), and the Guardian's Peter Bradshaw describing Craig's performance as "strangely magnificent."

Queer awards

Here are the major awards and nominations that Queer has received so far:

Golden Globes

• Best Actor Drama — Daniel Craig (nominee)

National Board of Review

• Best Actor — Daniel Craig (winner)
• Top 10 Film

Luca Guadagnino movies

At this point in his career, Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino is one that movie fans always have an eye out for. Here is a look at the list of his feature movie credits to date that have helped him build that reputation:

• The Protagonists (1999)
• Mundo civilizado (2003)
• Cuoco contadino (2004)
• Melissa P. (2005)
• I Am Love (2009)
• Bertolucci on Bertolucci (2013)
• A Bigger Splash (2015)
• Call Me By Your Name (2017)
• Suspiria (2018)
• Bones and All (2022)
• Challengers (2024)

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