A Highland power struggle has gained another formidable player, while an office comedy with a lasting bite is heading back to American cinema screens. Our 25 September Evening edition brings two confirmed developments with different kinds of appeal: a new face for Paramount+ drama Laird, and a short theatrical return for 9 to 5.
Tonight’s Film and TV Developments
Peter Sarsgaard Joins Kenneth Branagh in Laird
- Series: Laird, a Scottish Highlands family drama.
- Confirmed lead: Kenneth Branagh.
- Newly reported cast: Peter Sarsgaard.
- Platform: Paramount+.
- UK and US premiere: No date announced.
Peter Sarsgaard is set to appear opposite Kenneth Branagh in Laird. Deadline reports that Sarsgaard will play an American billionaire intent on buying land from Branagh’s proud Scottish character. Paramount+ announced the series in July, describing a family saga set in the modern Highlands and naming Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth and Georgia Lee as its creators.
For viewers, the casting gives the central conflict a clearer shape: land and family loyalty on one side, outside wealth on the other. That is a promising dramatic setup, but a performance, episode count and launch window cannot be judged or booked from an early casting report. Paramount+ has yet to announce a UK or US premiere date.
9 to 5 Heads Back to US Cinemas for One Week
- Film: 9 to 5 (1980), starring Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.
- US cinema return: 9–15 October 2026.
- Beneficiary: Disney says its net proceeds from US tickets will support the Dollywood Foundation’s Imagination Library.
- UK screenings: No matching release has been confirmed.
The restored 9 to 5 is returning to US cinemas for a limited week from 9 to 15 October. The newly announced engagement honours Dolly Parton, whose wit and music helped turn the workplace comedy into a film that still speaks to audiences. Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin complete the central trio.
The charitable detail matters as much as the nostalgia. Disney says the net proceeds it receives from each US ticket will go to the Dollywood Foundation for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. “Net proceeds” does not mean the full price of every ticket, so check a participating cinema’s listing for its showtime and terms. There is no confirmed UK engagement in this announcement.
Movieversalfilm Takeaway
Laird now has a compelling on-screen contest, but it remains a future watch without a premiere date. 9 to 5 offers US audiences a timely chance to revisit a sharp, warm comedy on the big screen while supporting a cause closely tied to its star. Neither story needs speculation to earn a place in tonight’s briefing.
Which would you make time for first: the new Highland drama or a cinema return for 9 to 5?