After a decade focused mainly on documentaries, acclaimed director Oliver Stone is set to make his first narrative feature in ten years. The upcoming film, titled White Lies, will star Benicio Del Toro, an actor who recently appeared in one of Stone’s earlier works, Savages. The project is slated to begin production this fall, marking a significant return for Stone with his long-awaited cinematic comeback.
Background on Stone’s Recent Career and Challenges
Stone’s absence from Hollywood feature filmmaking has been linked to his political documentaries, some of which sparked controversy. His 2012 docuseries,
The Untold History Of The United States
, and 2017’s The Putin Interviews led to reports that Stone faced a kind of informal blacklisting within the film industry. Despite this, he remained active, directing the documentary
JFK Revisited: Through The Looking Glass
in 2021 and the 2022 release Nuclear Now, alongside an upcoming biographical documentary about Brazilian politician Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva titled Lula, scheduled for 2024.
Details and Synopsis of White Lies
White Lies will be Stone’s first feature since the 2016 film Snowden. The production will take place over four months in Italy and Thailand. Benicio Del Toro plays the lead role of a man caught in a cycle of familial dysfunction across three generations. The character, a child of divorce repeating his parents’ mistakes in both marriage and fatherhood, sets out on a worldwide journey in search of freedom but finds himself increasingly lost. His journey takes a new direction after meeting a woman whose life contrasts sharply with his own, prompting a profound personal transformation.
Stone’s Shift from Political Themes to Personal Storytelling
This project represents a notable departure from Stone’s recent politically charged works and his previous four feature films: the 2008 George W. Bush biopic W, 2010’s Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, 2012’s Savages, and 2016’s Snowden. Stone emphasized that White Lies should not be viewed as a political film but rather as a reflection
“
about life, form what I’ve understood so far.
”
This suggests the film may be a more intimate, character-driven work from a director known for intense political narratives and provocative stories, including classics like Platoon and Natural Born Killers.
Funding and Production Outlook
While Stone no longer has strong ties to Hollywood, sources indicate the financing for White Lies comes primarily from European backers rather than traditional U.S. studios. This external support could allow Stone greater creative control over the film’s direction and production. Given the length of time since his last narrative feature, there is considerable anticipation that White Lies will offer audiences a rare opportunity to experience a new Oliver Stone story in a traditional cinematic format.
Significance of the Project and What Lies Ahead
White Lies marks a pivotal moment in Oliver Stone’s career as he returns to feature filmmaking after years devoted to documentary work. Partnering once again with Benicio Del Toro, the film’s exploration of complex family dynamics and personal rediscovery promises a different tone from Stone’s previous politically intense projects. With filming about to begin in international locations, the film could reignite interest in Stone’s work and offer both longtime fans and general audiences a fresh chapter from one of cinema’s most provocative directors.
