Excitement is building for the premiere of Pillion, a new film featuring Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling, which is set to debut at the Cannes Film Festival next month. The film, described as a ‘kinky queer romance’, delves into the life of a character named Colin, played by Melling, who finds his mundane existence transformed after entering a unique relationship with Ray, portrayed by Skarsgård.
The first promotional image of the film has surfaced, showcasing Melling and Skarsgård in classic leather biker gear. The story follows Colin, a self-described ‘weedy wallflower’, as he encounters Ray, the charismatic leader of a motorbike club. The relationship dynamic evolves quickly, with Ray taking Colin on as his ‘submissive’, pulling him from his dull suburban life into a community based on kink and queerness.
Harry Melling you will know from his role as Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter films and his performance in the recent Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit. Skarsgård is no stranger to characters that challenge traditional sexual norms, having previously portrayed the pansexual vampire Eric Northman in True Blood.
The film is a production of Element Pictures, a company known for successful adaptations such as Sally Rooney’s Normal People and the Oscar-winning Poor Things.
Early reports describe Pillion as a light-hearted exploration of love, identity, and self-discovery. While the story, directed by Harry Lighton, promises to deliver a ‘fun and filthy romance’, it also poses more complex questions about Colin’s evolution: has he discovered his true self, or merely exchanged one form of confinement for another?
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pillion_(film) – This URL corroborates the details of the film ‘Pillion’, including its debut at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, its cast, and its production team. It also mentions the film being based on the novel ‘Box Hill’ by Adam Mars-Jones.
- https://www.imdb.com/news/ni64575906/ – This URL supports the information about ‘Pillion’ starring Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling, with Element Pictures as a key production company. It also mentions the film’s launch at Cannes.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative mentions the film’s debut at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025, indicating recent and relevant information. However, no specific details about prior publication of similar content were found.
Quotes check
Score:
0
Notes:
No direct quotes were identified in the text. Therefore, no verification was required.
Source reliability
Score:
5
Notes:
The origin of the narrative is from DNA Magazine, which may not be as widely recognised as major global publications like BBC or Reuters. Limited information about its reliability was available.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about the film ‘Pillion’, its premise, and stars are plausible given the involvement of notable figures and production companies. The narrative aligns with the sort of projects seen in film festivals.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The information appears to be fresh and plausible, especially considering the upcoming film festival. However, the narrative’s reliability depends on the credibility of DNA Magazine, which is less clear. Without more context on prior publications or official statements, we remain cautiously open.