Ink Opens Venice, Tracing Murdoch’s Tabloid Rise in Boyle’s Drama

Danny Boyle’s Rupert Murdoch drama Ink opened the Venice Film Festival with a four‑minute ovation, tracing Murdoch’s 1969 Sun makeover into a populist tabloid under editor Larry Lamb; Netflix-produced and adapted from James Graham’s play, the film stars Guy Pearce as Murdoch and Jack O’Connell as Lamb and draws parallels to today’s media climate without demonizing its subject. The premiere kicked off a slate of festival premieres, with George Clooney receiving an honorary Golden Lion and Maggie Gyllenhaal chairing the jury for the competition, which runs through Sept. 12.