Get ready to make a reservation for one messed-up dining experience, as the 2022 movie The Menu serves up a dark comedy treat for audiences. So what does The Menu have cooking up? (OK, think we've gotten all food/restaurant puns out of our system now).
In addition to an all-star cast, many members of the creative team behind The Menu have connections to one of the best shows on TV, Succession. This includes producer Adam McKay, director Mark Mylod and one half of the screenwriting team, Will Tracy. Is The Menu going to have the same satirical bite the HBO show has?
Here is everything we know about The Menu.
How to watch The Menu
The Menu is currently playing exclusively in movie theaters. Find out more about where it's playing and when it may be coming to streaming with our how to watch The Menu post.
The Menu plot
The Menu is an original idea from screenwriters Seth Reiss and Will Tracy. The movie is described as a mix of comedy, horror and thriller elements while being set at an exclusive high-class dining experience. Here is the official synopsis from Searchlight Pictures:
"A couple travels to a coastal island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises."
We get a bit clearer picture of the plot in the official trailer, which you can watch below. The dinner is just one part of the experience, as the guests also appear to be involved in a deadly hunt.
See The Menu and have some questions? Check out our The Menu ending explained piece.
The Menu trailers
Dig in with all of the released trailers for The Menu right here.
The Menu reviews — what the critics are saying
Critics are loving The Menu, with the movie scoring (as of November 17) a 91% "Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes and a healthy 70 on Metacritic. What to Watch's The Menu review calls the black comedy "deliciously good fun."
The Menu awards and nominations
Here is a roundup of the major awards and nominations that The Menu has received:
Golden Globes
- Best Actress: Comedy/Musical — Anya Taylor-Joy (nominee)
- Best Actor: Comedy/Musical — Ralph Fiennes (nominee)
Satellite Awards
- Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical — Ralph Fiennes (nominee)
The Menu cast
The Menu is not short on star power, as its top billing includes Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult.
Ralph Fiennes is a Hollywood veteran, having starred in memorable movies like Schindler’s List, The English Patient, The Constant Gardener, the Harry Potter franchise and The Grand Budapest Hotel. He also had another 2022 movie, The Forgiven. Fiennes plays chef Slowik in The Menu.
Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult are the main couple in the movie, Margot and Tyler. Both Taylor-Joy and Hoult have been rising stars over the last few years. Taylor-Joy has starred in The Witch, The Queen’s Gambit and Last Night in Soho. In 2022, she appeared in The Northman and Amsterdam.
Hoult first got noticed in About a Boy, but more recently he has broken out thanks to roles in Mad Max: Fury Road, The Favourite and the Hulu original series The Great.
The rest of The Menu cast are no slouches either. Filling things out are Janet McTeer (Ozark, Albert Nobbs), John Leguizamo (Encanto, Moulin Rouge!), Hong Chau (Downsizing, Watchmen), Judith Light (Julia, Transparent), Reed Birney (House of Cards, Home Before Dark), Paul Adelstein (True Story, Prison Break), Aimee Carrero (Elena of Avalor, Maid), Arturo Castro (Mr. Corman, Broad City), Mark St. Cyr (High School Musical: The Musical — The Series) and Rob Yang (Succession, The Resident).
How long is The Menu?
The Menu has a runtime of one hour and 46 minutes.
What is The Menu rated?
The Menu has been given an R rating in the US and a 15 in the UK for "strong/disturbing violent content, language throughout and some sexual references."
The Menu director
Mark Mylod is directing The Menu. Much of Mylod’s career has come on the TV side, directing episodes of Shameless (both the US and UK version), Entourage, Games of Thrones and Succession, including four episodes of the most recent season 3. Mylod is also an executive producer on Succession. His movie credits prior to The Menu are Ali G Indahouse, The Big White and What’s Your Number.
