Frank and Percy is an upcoming British comedy film directed by Sean Mathias. It is based on the play of the same name by Ben Weatherill.
Contents
Premise
A chance encounter between two elderly dogwalkers on Hampstead Heath leads them into a friendship they didn't expect, and a relationship potentially deeper than that.
Cast
Ian McKellen as Percy
Roger Allam as Frank
Stephen Fry
Jessica Gunning
Joanna Lumley as Belinda
Derek Jacobi
Ncuti Gatwa
Siân Phillips
Rob Brydon
Felicity Kendal
Peter Davison
Gary Wilmot
Sheila Hancock
Nitin Ganatra
Peter Straker
Amari Bacchus
Hugh Skinner
Wayne Sleep
Production
It was announced in September 2025 that the Ben Weatherill play was being adapted into a film, with Ian McKellen and Roger Allam reprising their roles. Stephen Fry, Jessica Gunning, Joanna Lumley, Derek Jacobi, Ncuti Gatwa and Siân Phillips were also announced to star.
Filming had begun in London by October, with Rob Brydon, Felicity Kendal, Peter Davison and Gary Wilmot among additional casting announced the following month.
Release
Frank and Percy had its world premiere at the 70th BFI London Film Festival on October 13, 2026 at the Screen 1 in the BFI South Bank location.
Critic Reception
The film received a round of applause after its first press showing at the Picturehouse Central Screen 1, earlier on October 13, 2026.
The critic Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian, giving the film 3 stars out of 5, calling out the film's tender sweetness in reflecting an romance in later years. He also praised the part played by Joanna Lumley as a sister-in-law to Frank who is in early-onset dementia.
The critic Dr Bob Mann at One Mann's Movies, giving the film 4 stars out of 5, described it as a warm, charming, funny, gay-love story commenting that mixed in with the humour was the "tart sting of pathos", bringing in themes of grief and loneliness.