Blab Entertainment
Julian Schnabels In the Hand of Dante Premieres at Venice, Sets Netflix Release for June 24
Julian Schnabel’s latest opus, In the Hand of Dante, opened out of competition at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on September 3, 2025. The 2025 drama follows a handwritten manuscript of Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy as it travels from the Vatican library to a New York mob boss and ultimately to a writer in 2001. The story unfolds in two alternating timelines: a medieval Italian sequence that charts Dante’s artistic and spiritual evolution, and a contemporary 2001 narrative centered on a fictionalized version of author Nick Tosches.
The cast is anchored by Oscar Isaac, who portrays both the 2001 novelist and the medieval poet. Supporting roles feature Martin Scorsese, Gerard Butler, John Malkovich, Gal Gadot, Al Pacino, Jason Momoa, and Sabrina Impacciatore, with additional appearances by Louis Cancelmi, Benjamin Clementine, and Domenica Cameron‑Scorsese. The screenplay, co‑written by Schnabel and Louise Kugelberg, adapts Tosches’s 2002 novel of the same name.
Schnabel blends several genres in a single frame. The first act has been described as a literary detective story that interrogates the manuscript’s authenticity while exposing the criminal interests that surround it. Visually, the film alternates between stark black‑and‑white sequences and richly costumed scenes, creating a “hallucinatory” quality that juxtaposes scholarly dialogue with violent gangster confrontations. According to the source material, the film attempts to fuse black comedy, earnest exploration of art, spiritual romance, and gangster thriller into one narrative.
The production’s ambition is evident in its thematic scope. The manuscript serves as a catalyst for questions about creativity, faith, power, and redemption. The medieval segments trace Dante’s journey toward the composition of his epic poem, while the 2001 storyline follows Isaac’s character as he navigates intellectual fascination and danger. The film also incorporates symbolic female characters—played by Gadot, Impacciatore, and others—who function as sources of inspiration, temptation, or spiritual guidance rather than fully realized individuals.
Schnabel’s previous work includes the Academy‑Award‑nominated Before Night Falls and the Cannes‑winning The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. His background as a painter and long history in independent arthouse cinema inform the film’s visual and narrative style. The inclusion of Scorsese, a renowned director known for crime dramas, adds a meta‑layer to the film’s exploration of organized crime and high culture.
After its Venice premiere, In the Hand of Dante entered the U.S. market on June 12, 2026, with a limited theatrical release. A streaming release on Netflix followed on June 24, 2026. The film’s distribution strategy reflects a growing trend of hybrid releases that combine limited theatrical runs with early digital availability.
Critical reception has highlighted the film’s bold ambition and tonal shifts. Reviewers note that while the first hour functions as a gripping literary thriller, subsequent scenes become increasingly abstract, with philosophical reflection taking precedence over plot momentum. The film’s mixture of high culture and organized crime has been described as both intriguing and, at times, disorienting.
Industry observers view the project as a rare example of a director attempting to merge disparate genres and historical periods into a cohesive work. The film’s release strategy—world premiere at a major festival, limited theatrical run, and swift streaming availability—positions it within the current landscape of hybrid distribution models.
At present, the film’s performance on Netflix and its long‑term reception remain to be seen. Upcoming discussions at film festivals and potential award considerations will likely shape its legacy. For now, In the Hand of Dante stands as a distinctive entry in 2025’s cinematic output, offering a complex narrative that challenges conventional genre boundaries.
The cast is anchored by Oscar Isaac, who portrays both the 2001 novelist and the medieval poet. Supporting roles feature Martin Scorsese, Gerard Butler, John Malkovich, Gal Gadot, Al Pacino, Jason Momoa, and Sabrina Impacciatore, with additional appearances by Louis Cancelmi, Benjamin Clementine, and Domenica Cameron‑Scorsese. The screenplay, co‑written by Schnabel and Louise Kugelberg, adapts Tosches’s 2002 novel of the same name.
Schnabel blends several genres in a single frame. The first act has been described as a literary detective story that interrogates the manuscript’s authenticity while exposing the criminal interests that surround it. Visually, the film alternates between stark black‑and‑white sequences and richly costumed scenes, creating a “hallucinatory” quality that juxtaposes scholarly dialogue with violent gangster confrontations. According to the source material, the film attempts to fuse black comedy, earnest exploration of art, spiritual romance, and gangster thriller into one narrative.
The production’s ambition is evident in its thematic scope. The manuscript serves as a catalyst for questions about creativity, faith, power, and redemption. The medieval segments trace Dante’s journey toward the composition of his epic poem, while the 2001 storyline follows Isaac’s character as he navigates intellectual fascination and danger. The film also incorporates symbolic female characters—played by Gadot, Impacciatore, and others—who function as sources of inspiration, temptation, or spiritual guidance rather than fully realized individuals.
Schnabel’s previous work includes the Academy‑Award‑nominated Before Night Falls and the Cannes‑winning The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. His background as a painter and long history in independent arthouse cinema inform the film’s visual and narrative style. The inclusion of Scorsese, a renowned director known for crime dramas, adds a meta‑layer to the film’s exploration of organized crime and high culture.
After its Venice premiere, In the Hand of Dante entered the U.S. market on June 12, 2026, with a limited theatrical release. A streaming release on Netflix followed on June 24, 2026. The film’s distribution strategy reflects a growing trend of hybrid releases that combine limited theatrical runs with early digital availability.
Critical reception has highlighted the film’s bold ambition and tonal shifts. Reviewers note that while the first hour functions as a gripping literary thriller, subsequent scenes become increasingly abstract, with philosophical reflection taking precedence over plot momentum. The film’s mixture of high culture and organized crime has been described as both intriguing and, at times, disorienting.
Industry observers view the project as a rare example of a director attempting to merge disparate genres and historical periods into a cohesive work. The film’s release strategy—world premiere at a major festival, limited theatrical run, and swift streaming availability—positions it within the current landscape of hybrid distribution models.
At present, the film’s performance on Netflix and its long‑term reception remain to be seen. Upcoming discussions at film festivals and potential award considerations will likely shape its legacy. For now, In the Hand of Dante stands as a distinctive entry in 2025’s cinematic output, offering a complex narrative that challenges conventional genre boundaries.
