What You Need To Know About Nicole Kidman’s Steamy New A24 Movie, ‘Babygirl’

Someone’s about to be a good girl this Christmas. A24 is turning up the heat with their upcoming erotic thriller Babygirl, a cautionary tale of steamy affairs that’s just as guilty as it is pleasurable. Nicole Kidman stars as Romy, a wife, mother, and CEO who seems to have it all – or so she thinks. Underneath her picture-perfect life, something’s missing. When the dashingly mysterious Samuel (Harris Dickinson) joins the company as an intern, their professional relationship becomes something forbidden. Despite putting her career and family on the line, Romy can’t help but be pulled into Samuel’s domineering allure. ‘

Do not be mistaken – this is no sophisticated version of the infamous Fifty Shades of Grey franchise. And despite taking cues from preceding erotic movies like Secretary and Basic Instinct, this Halina Reijn-directed work aims to make a mark of its own, exploring themes of power and domination within the context of today’s sexual discourse and consciousness. Without further ado, here’s everything we know about Babygirl.

5 Does ‘Babygirl’ Have a Release Date?

Babygirl is scheduled for a theatrical release on December 25, 2024, right on Christmas Day. Previously, the film was slated for a U.S. and Canadian release on December 20 before moving to its current date. The movie made its international premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival on August 30, 2024, followed by another showing at the 49th Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2024.

With the year almost closing in, A24 has been busy with its recent releases and is gearing up for upcoming projects. Included in A24’s fall-winter movie slate is Sebastian Stan’s dark comedy A Different Man, following a man who undergoes an experimental medical procedure to change his appearance – only for it to backfire. The romantic drama We Live in Time, starring Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield as a young couple, has wowed audiences with the leading duo’s undeniable on-screen chemistry. Although spooky season has ended, Hugh Grant revels in his villain era in the psychological thriller Heretic. Next on the production houses’s lineup is Rachel Zegler’s quirky end-of-the-year horror-comedy Y2K, following a group of teens faced with murderous electrical appliances caused by the Y2K virus.

4 Watch the Trailer for ‘Babygirl’

Get a glass of milk ready – the thirst is real in the Babygirl trailer. The clip introduces CEO Romy (Kidman), who seems to be living the perfect life as a wife, mom, and working woman. But in between family meals, countless meetings, and trips to the dermatologist, this high-powered, well-put-together girl boss senses something missing. When Romy finds herself as a mentor to the much younger intern Samuel (Dickinson), she immediately takes a romantic liking to him, prompting a forbidden relationship that would put Romy’s career and marriage on the line. Yet, despite the risks that come with it, the power-driven Romy can’t help but become putty under Samuel’s hands, quietly enjoying how liberated he makes her feel – sexually and spiritually.

A24 released a second trailer for Babygirl on November 19, showcasing more of the leading duo’s deliciously scandalous chemistry over a heated exchange in the background. Romy believes she has authority over Samuel, but oh, how the tables have turned. With just one phone call, Samuel could easily put an end to everything Romy’s worked hard for. But instead of feeling threatened, she’s turned on. Whether it’s Samuel grabbing her thigh at work or placing his hand on his throat, every touch feels like fire. It doesn’t take long before Romy is leterally on all fours on the floor, flustered and ready to do Samuel’s every bidding.

3 Who Stars in ‘Babygirl’?

Kidman stars as Romy, a doting wife, mother, and CEO who lives a double life past office hours. Best known for her Academy Award-winning performance as Virginia Woolf in The Hours, the actress has racked up a list of celebrated roles in projects like Moulin Rouge!, Big Little Lies, and Eyes Wide Shut. Kidman starred in the recently released animated feature Spellbound, alongside Zegler, and Javier Bardem. The actress is also set to work on a series adaption of “Here One Moment” by Liane Moriarty under her Blossom Films banner.

Dickinson plays the unassumingly dominant intern Samuel, who, despite barely making proper conversation with his boss, just knows how to make Romy tick and crumble. Dickinson made headlines thanks to his performance in the drama film Beach Rats, earning him a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead. He then set off to rack up a solid portfolio, including roles in Where the Crawdads Sing and The Iron Claw. Dickinson most notably played the aspiring model Carl in the Oscar-nominated film Triangle of Sadness.

Banderas stars as Jacob, Romy’s husband who senses something amiss with his wife. Following his work in Pedro Almodóvar’s films, Banderas made a name for himself in America with projects such as Interview with the Vampire, Desperado, and The Mask of Zorro. But Banderas is best known for his voice acting work as the charming Puss in Boots in the Shrek film series. Banderas is set to star in the third installment of the Paddington movie series, Paddington in Peru, starring as Hunter Cabot, a riverboat captain who helps Paddington and the Browns in their cross-continental journey.

Also joining the cast is Sophie Wilde, whom audiences may recognize from her highly-praised performance in the horror flick Talk to Me. Wilde is in talks to join the movie adaption of the open-world video game series “Watch Dogs”. Rounding out the ensemble are Gaite Jansen, Esther McGregor, Vaughan Reilly, Victor Slezak, Leslie Silva, and Anoop Desai.

2 What Is ‘Babygirl’ About?

The official synopsis for Babygirl from A24 reads:

A high-powered CEO puts her career and family on the line when she begins a torrid affair with her much younger intern.

Babygirl follows two individuals from two different age groups and backgrounds: Romy, the highly-functioning executive married to an urbane theater husband, and her unsuspiciously dominating young intern Samuel. Despite having a harmonious family life, and a dashingly handsome man always waiting for her at home, Romy secretly yearns for something more, fulfilling. Following her heated encounter with Samuel, and a couple of secret meetings in a seedy hotel room, Romy discovers a certain truth about herself, and more importantly, her inner desires.

An exploration of sexual power dynamics, the double standards of age gaps, and the layered complexities of relationships, Babygirl isn’t the first film of its kind. Although it sets off to do something different, Babygirl shares a similar vein with Steven Shainberg’s 2002 work Secretary, in which Maggie Gyllenhaal plays Lee, an emotionally fragile secretary who finds work in Mr. Grey’s (James Spader) office. Under his strict supervision, Lee soon discovers Mr. Grey’s unique penchant for sadomasochism, masked under his stern demeanor. What unravels is an intense power play between the two, pairing Lee’s naivety and Spader’s broodiness as they test the boundaries of their unorthodox relationship and go deep into their unspoken desires.

1 Who Made ‘Babygirl’?

Babygirl was directed by Dutch actress, writer, and director Reijn. A recipient of the Dutch film Award, the Golden Calf for Best Actress, as well as the Courbois Pearl, Reijn first made her film debut with the 2019 Instinct, starring Carice van Houten of Game of Thrones fame and Marwan Kenzari from Aladdin. Her most recent work is the comedy-horror flick Bodies, Bodies, Bodies, starring Amandla Stenberg, Rachel Sennott, and more. Bodies, Bodies, Bodieshas been praised for its Gen Z-coded satirical take on the cutthroat digital age, all while a throat-cutting killer is on the loose in their vacation mansion during a stormy night.