The Choral: Release date, cast & characters, Where to watch and more

The Choral is a British historical drama directed by Nicholas Hytner and written by Alan Bennett. It stars Ralph Fiennes as Dr Henry Guthrie and opens in US theatres on December 25, 2025. The film was initially released in the UK on November 7, 2025.

The story is set in the fictional Yorkshire town of Ramsden in 1916 during World War I. Many male members of the local choral society have enlisted and gone to the front. The committee hires a new conductor Dr. Henry Guthrie who recently returned from Germany. 

He faces suspicion due to his time abroad his atheism and implied homosexuality. Guthrie recruits teenage boys and girls at risk of conscription along with women and older men. The choir prepares Edward Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius, chosen because it is English not German. 

The film draws loose inspiration from real choral societies like the Huddersfield Choral Society that performed the work in wartime. 

Alan Bennett wrote an original screenplay- his first in years. Nicholas Hytner reunites with Bennett for their fourth film collaboration. The major cast includes Ralph Fiennes, Simon Russell Beale as Edward Elgar, Roger Allam, Mark Addy and Alun Armstrong. 

Reviews note strong performances and Bennett's witty dialogue blending humour with wartime pathos. Runtime is 113 minutes. 

When does The Choral release worldwide?

In the United States, The Choral opens in limited release on December 25, 2025 distributed by Sony Pictures Classics. Release follows standard cinema schedules with no specific time.

The Choral had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 5, 2025.

It had its European premiere at the BFI London Film Festival in October 2025. The film received a theatrical release in the United Kingdom on November 7, 2025. 

It played at festivals including São Paulo International Film Festival on October 21, 2025 and AFI Fest on October 25 2025.

International releases vary by country through local distributors. Theatrical rollout comes first in most markets.

Check local theatre listings for current showtimes in your region.

The Choral: Plot, cast and characters explored

The plot is set in the summer of 1916 in Ramsden, Yorkshire. The Ramsden Choral Society loses most male singers to the war. The previous choirmaster enlists. The committee hires Dr Henry Guthrie, a demanding conductor recently back from Germany. 

Residents suspect him due to his German connections, atheism and hints of homosexuality. An act of vandalism occurs with a brick thrown through a window labelled"Hun muck".

Guthrie recruits schoolboys, girls, women and older members to perform Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius. 

Rehearsals bring out personal stories of loss, fears of conscription, returning wounded soldiers and town tensions. Young singers face impending call-up papers while discovering the joys of singing and the urgency of desire. 

The film examines prejudice, grief, social change and how music provides comfort, unity and defiance amid hardship. Bennett's script mixes sharp humour with pathos leading to the emotional performance.

Main cast and characters:

• Ralph Fiennes as Dr Henry Guthrie – the strict uncompromising conductor with a controversial background
• Simon Russell Beale as Sir Edward Elgar – the composer in a brief appearance
• Roger Allam as Alderman Bernard Duxbury – a committee member
• Mark Addy as Joe Fytton – a local mill owner
• Taylor Uttley as Ellis – a teenage recruit and best friend in the choir
• Amara Okereke as a young female singer such as Mary Lockwood

Other supporting roles include-

• Ron Cook as the vicar
• Alun Armstrong as Mr Trickett
• Robert Emms as Robert Horner
• Emily Fairn as Bella
• Lyndsey Marshal as Mrs Bishop

The official trailer features rehearsal scenes of town life during war and excerpts from the Elgar performance.

Where to watch The Choral:

The Choral is available only in theatres. It has been playing in the UK since November 7, 2025. 

In the US limited theatrical release begins December 25, 2025 through Sony Pictures Classics. It will release on January 9, 2026 in Toronto and Vancouver.

No streaming or VOD availability announced yet. 

Stay tuned for more such updates!