# Scorn (2026 film)
**Scorn** is an upcoming erotic thriller film written and directed by Sarah-Violet Bliss, co-creator of the comedy series *Search Party*, starring [Adria Arjona](https://www.edgepedia.org/adria-arjona) and Kingsley Ben-Adir. It follows a woman who begins a passionate affair with a married man and refuses to go away quietly when he tries to re-cast their love as just a fling.[1](https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3929497/adria-arjona-and-kingsley-ben-adir-to-star-in-scorn/) The film was shot in the United Kingdom in early 2026 and is in post-production.[2](https://www.kinopoisk.ru/film/13242306/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Genre | Erotic thriller; original screenplay[3](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Scorn-%28Unkn%29) |
| Writer/director | Sarah-Violet Bliss, co-creator and executive producer of *Search Party*[1](https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3929497/adria-arjona-and-kingsley-ben-adir-to-star-in-scorn/) |
| Leads | Adria Arjona (*Andor*, *Hit Man*, *Blink Twice*) and Kingsley Ben-Adir (*Bob Marley: One Love*, *Barbie*)[4](https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/Movies/2026/01/15/erotic-thriller-Scorn-Adria-Arjona-Kingsley-Ben-Adir/8131768505155/) |
| Producers | Dylan Clark and Brian Williams for Dylan Clark Productions; Amy Jackson for Unified; Topic Studios fully financing[1](https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3929497/adria-arjona-and-kingsley-ben-adir-to-star-in-scorn/) |
| Filming | United Kingdom, 20 January to 27 February 2026[5](https://www.crew-united.com/fr/Scorn__368292.html) |
| Status | Post-production as of mid-2026; no release date announced[2](https://www.kinopoisk.ru/film/13242306/) • [6](https://www.yorkmix.com/filming-begins-in-york-on-new-thriller-which-features-stars-from-barbie-and-star-wars) |
## Premise and cast
The logline reads: "A woman begins a passionate affair with a married man. When he then tries to re-cast their love as just a fling, she refuses to go away quietly."[1](https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3929497/adria-arjona-and-kingsley-ben-adir-to-star-in-scorn/) Local coverage of the York shoot described the story as having *Fatal Attraction* vibes.[7](https://www.yorkmix.com/movie-crew-films-scenes-at-historic-york-venue-for-erotic-thriller)
Arjona plays the woman; Ben-Adir plays the married man.[4](https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/Movies/2026/01/15/erotic-thriller-Scorn-Adria-Arjona-Kingsley-Ben-Adir/8131768505155/) In February 2026, Deadline reported that [Meredith Hagner](https://www.edgepedia.org/meredith-hagner) (*Search Party*), Guy Burnet (*Oppenheimer*, *Landman*), and [Freya Mavor](https://www.edgepedia.org/freya-mavor) (*Skins*, *Industry*) had joined the cast, with character details under wraps.[8](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39370560/news/) The wider cast includes [Ashley Zukerman](https://www.edgepedia.org/ashley-zukerman) as David, Josh Dylan as Ray, Sophie Simnett as Sierra, Cosima Shaw as Anne, Grace Molony as Fiona, Sam Marks as Ralph, Izuka Hoyle, Millie Brady, and Wilf Scolding.[9](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39370560) Crew United lists Arjona's character as Mariela and Ben-Adir's as Ollie.[5](https://www.crew-united.com/fr/Scorn__368292.html)
## Production
Topic Studios announced the casting on January 15, 2026, with production set to begin at the end of the month in the United Kingdom.[4](https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/Movies/2026/01/15/erotic-thriller-Scorn-Adria-Arjona-Kingsley-Ben-Adir/8131768505155/) Bliss wrote the script as a spec.[10](https://www.imdb.com/news/ni65660692/) [The Hollywood Reporter](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-hollywood-reporter) reported that Dylan Clark, producer of *The Batman*, would produce through Dylan Clark Productions alongside [Brian Williams](https://www.edgepedia.org/brian-williams), with *Aftersun* producer [Amy Jackson](https://www.edgepedia.org/amy-jackson) producing for Unified.[10](https://www.imdb.com/news/ni65660692/) Ryan Heller is also credited as a producer.[9](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39370560)
**Filming.** Crew United records a shoot running from 20 January to 27 February 2026 in the United Kingdom.[5](https://www.crew-united.com/fr/Scorn__368292.html) IMDb lists filming dates of January 2026 with UK locations.[11](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39370560/locations/) Crews were reported filming in [Horsforth](https://www.edgepedia.org/horsforth), Leeds, in late January 2026, including at a health food store used as a location.[12](https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/jason-momoa-films-at-leeds-health-store-5504801) In York, St Mary's off Bootham was closed to traffic for a week of filming from February 9 to 13, 2026, and the production later moved to Micklegate, centering on Bathurst House, a Grade II* listed early-1700s townhouse.[6](https://www.yorkmix.com/filming-begins-in-york-on-new-thriller-which-features-stars-from-barbie-and-star-wars) • [7](https://www.yorkmix.com/movie-crew-films-scenes-at-historic-york-venue-for-erotic-thriller)
The crew includes cinematographer Menno Mans and editor Brian A. Kates.[13](https://www.imdb.com/pt/title/tt39370560/fullcredits/) El Wood served as lead intimacy coordinator.[13](https://www.imdb.com/pt/title/tt39370560/fullcredits/)
## Distribution and release
The film's release route has been reported differently at different times. A Production Weekly listing dated August 2025 described "Scorn" as an HBSVOD (streaming) feature for Netflix with a December 2025 status in London.[14](https://www.productionweekly.com/082825ob.pdf) Later trade coverage described Topic Studios as fully financing and producing the film without naming a distributor, and no release date had been announced as of the York reporting in February 2026.[1](https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3929497/adria-arjona-and-kingsley-ben-adir-to-star-in-scorn/) • [6](https://www.yorkmix.com/filming-begins-in-york-on-new-thriller-which-features-stars-from-barbie-and-star-wars) By July 2026 the film was listed as in post-production.[2](https://www.kinopoisk.ru/film/13242306/) AlloCiné and Filmow place the production year as 2027.[15](https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm%3D1000038698.html)
## Other works called Scorn
The title has been used several times, which can cause confusion in searches. A 2020 American independent drama *Scorn*, directed by Jonathan Faircloth Kirk and starring Lindsley Register, was released in May 2020.[16](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6058850/) *Scorn* is also the title of a 2022 atmospheric first-person horror video game by the Serbian studio Ebb Software, inspired by H.R. Giger's biomechanical art.[17](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/aug/05/you-cant-escape-from-your-own-mind-as-you-can-from-a-monster-scorns-original-unsettling-body-horror) Separately, the 2014 film *John Wick* began as a spec script titled "Scorn" before [Keanu Reeves](https://www.edgepedia.org/keanu-reeves)'s preference for the character's name prevailed, as director [Chad Stahelski](https://www.edgepedia.org/chad-stahelski) recounted in the 2025 documentary *[Wick Is Pain](https://www.edgepedia.org/wick-is-pain)*.[18](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/action-movies/john-wick-director-added-one-game-changing-detail-that-transformed-the-franchise/)
## References
1. [Adria Arjona and Kingsley Ben-Adir to Star in Erotic Thriller 'Scorn' from 'Search Party' Creator, Bloody Disgusting (January 15, 2026)](https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3929497/adria-arjona-and-kingsley-ben-adir-to-star-in-scorn/)
2. [Scorn, Kinopoisk (production status updated July 15, 2026)](https://www.kinopoisk.ru/film/13242306/)
3. [Scorn (2026), The Numbers](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Scorn-%28Unkn%29)
4. [Erotic thriller 'Scorn' casts Adria Arjona, Kingsley Ben-Adir, UPI (January 15, 2026)](https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/Movies/2026/01/15/erotic-thriller-Scorn-Adria-Arjona-Kingsley-Ben-Adir/8131768505155/)
5. [Scorn (titre de travail), Crew United](https://www.crew-united.com/fr/Scorn__368292.html)
6. [Filming begins in York on new thriller which features stars from Barbie and Star Wars, YorkMix (February 9, 2026)](https://www.yorkmix.com/filming-begins-in-york-on-new-thriller-which-features-stars-from-barbie-and-star-wars)
7. [Movie crew films scenes at historic York venue for erotic thriller, YorkMix (February 23, 2026)](https://www.yorkmix.com/movie-crew-films-scenes-at-historic-york-venue-for-erotic-thriller)
8. [Meredith Hagner, Guy Burnet, Freya Mavor Join Erotic Thriller 'Scorn', via IMDb News (Deadline, February 2, 2026)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39370560/news/)
9. [Scorn, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39370560)
10. [Adria Arjona, Kingsley Ben-Adir Team for Erotic Thriller 'Scorn' from Filmmaker Sarah-Violet Bliss, The Hollywood Reporter via IMDb News (January 15, 2026)](https://www.imdb.com/news/ni65660692/)
11. [Scorn, Filming & production, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39370560/locations/)
12. [Leeds health store's delight hosting Jason Momoa during filming for erotic thriller, Yorkshire Evening Post (February 5, 2026)](https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/jason-momoa-films-at-leeds-health-store-5504801)
13. [Scorn, Full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/pt/title/tt39370560/fullcredits/)
14. [Production Weekly, Issue 1468 (August 28, 2025), "SCORN" listing](https://www.productionweekly.com/082825ob.pdf)
15. [Scorn, Film 2027, AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm%3D1000038698.html)
16. [Scorn (2020), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6058850/)
17. ['You can't escape from your own mind as you can from a monster': Scorn's original, unsettling body-horror, The Guardian (August 5, 2022)](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/aug/05/you-cant-escape-from-your-own-mind-as-you-can-from-a-monster-scorns-original-unsettling-body-horror)
18. [John Wick director added one game-changing detail that transformed the franchise, GamesRadar (May 2025)](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/action-movies/john-wick-director-added-one-game-changing-detail-that-transformed-the-franchise/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Crime, thriller, and mystery films (individual works) › 2025–2026 films › Psychological and erotic thrillers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license