New filming update for Prima Facie starring Cynthia Erivo

Prima Facie, the upcoming film adaptation of Suzie Miller's acclaimed play, has received a new update. It is all set to begin filming this fall in London, according to Screen Daily.

The one-woman play started its journey in Australia with a premiere in Sydney. Later, the Australian playwright brought it to the British audience through a West End premiere, starring the Killing Eve star Jodie Comer. Her brilliant performance earned her a Laurence Olivier Award, followed by a Tony, in 2025.

After Comer, another English actress will play the ambitious defense lawyer, Tessa. It would be a three-time Oscar-winning star from Wicked, Cynthia Erivo. She will soon enter the production for the adaptation, also penned by Suzie Miller and helmed by Susanna White, one of the voices behind BAFTA-winning Bleak House, among other projects.

Miller's BBC television serial is a suspenseful legal drama set in the 19th century, starring Gillian Jacobs, Carey Mulligan, and more. So, Prima Facie marks her return to this setting, albeit from another time.

What else do we know about Cynthia Erivo's Prima Facie?

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In May 2025, Deadline reported a few details about the film adaptation of Suzie Miller's Prima Facie. Its producing team includes Kevin Loader from the Embankment Films banner alongside Greer Simpkin and David Jowsey from Bunya Productions. It's a British production, being executive-produced by Miller, Cynthia Erivo, Susanna White, and Solome Williams.

The film and the play share the title, Prima Facie, which translates to "at first sight." It highlights the conflict raised in the film's official plot synopsis, which, per IMDb, reads:

"Follows Tessa, an ambitious defense lawyer. She expertly represents her clients, including those who are accused of sexual assault. However, she finds out that the law does not provide justice after being raped by a coworker."

In the script, the expression is used about taking things as they appear at first glance.

More details about the film adaptation

Upon the announcement of their collaboration, Hugo Grumbar from Embankment shared a statement. He praised Susie Miller's widely praised play, saying:

“Suzie’s phenomenal play captivated audiences across 32 countries. The movie promises powerhouse performances — balancing intense, sharp-witted conflict with the tenderness of the best of protective human instinct — brave, bold, and laced with wit and delicacy.”

Director Susanna White also shared her excitement for the project, saying,

“I am excited by the challenge of moving Prima Facie forward into a new life that plays to the strengths of cinema. It has been great working with Suzie Miller on the script to give Tessa a powerful inner life on screen, and I’m thrilled to have an actress with the strength of Cynthia Erivo come on board."

She further stated the relevance of its subject matter related to sexual consent:

"The statistics are staggering; up to one in three women have been sexually assaulted, with as few as one in ten reported, and less than 2% of trials end in conviction. That stark reality deserves the collective emotional experience of today’s questioning and inquisitive movie audiences.”

Playwright and screenwriter Miller shared her interest in working with Erivo, White, and more in a statement. She said,

“I am thrilled to have the brilliant Cynthia Erivo sign on to the film version of Prima Facie; Cynthia is a highly talented and nuanced actor who has fed into the script and will create a bold and dynamic Tessa for the screen."

She further added,

"I am also excited to be working with such a talented and collaborative director in Susanna White, as well as Bunya Productions, Kevin Loader, and Embankment – these companies are truly committed to telling great stories that have real-world impact. As a team, we have all organically united in a passionate artistic vision and a commitment to making a work that challenges social structures.”

More details about this project are expected soon.