THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING: A L O O K AT T H E R E L AT I O N S H I P B E T W E E N T H E FA M O U S P H Y S I C I S T S T E P H E N H A W K I N G A N D

H I S W I F E

Working title case study

NARRATIVE

The Theory of Everything is a 2014 British biographical romantic drama

film directed by James Marsh and adapted by Anthony McCarten from the

memoir Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen by Jane Wilde Hawking,

which deals with her relationship with her ex-husband, theoretical physicist

Stephen Hawking, his diagnosis of motor neuron disease, and his success in

physics.

The film stars Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones with Charlie Cox, Emily

Watson, Simon McBurney, Christian McKay, and David Thewlis featured in

supporting roles. The film had its world premiere at the 2014 Toronto

International Film Festival on 9 September 2014.

DETAILS

By 8 October 2013, principal photography had begun, with the shooting being based in

Cambridge and at other locations in the United Kingdom.[Prior to the start of principal

photography, Working Title had begun shooting on the lawn in front of the New Court

building from 23 September 2013 to 27 September 2013; they filmed the Cambridge May

Ball scene, set in 1963.On 24 September 2013, scenes were filmed at St John’s College, The

Backs in Queen’s Road and Queen’s Green. The New Court lawn and Kitchen Bridge were

included features in the filming location of the piece. The May Ball scene was the last of the

outside shoots, with filming in a lecture theatre the following day and the remaining filming

completed in the studio over the final 5 weeks of the production.

The firework displays company Titanium, which developed the displays for the London

2012 Olympic Games, provided three identical firework displays for the May Ball scene

RELEASE

The Theory of Everything premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival

on 7 September 2014, where it opened in the official sidebar section, Special

Presentations. On 10 April 2014, Focus Features acquired the distribution

rights to The Theory of Everything in the United States, with the plan of a

2014 limited theatrical release. Shortly after, Entertainment One Films picked

up the Canadian distribution rights.The first trailer of the film was released on

7 August 2014. On 8 October 2013, Universal Pictures International had

acquired the rights to distribute the film internationally. The film had a limited

release in the United States on 7 November 2014 expanded in successive

weeks to Taiwan, Austria, and Germany, ahead of a bow in the United

Kingdom on 1 January 2015, before expanding throughout Europe.

RECEPTION

The film had a North American limited release on 7 November 2014; it was

released in five theatres and earned $207,000 on its opening weekend, for

an average of $41,400 per theatre. Focus's head of distribution Jim Orr said,

"We are very, very pleased," he added, "It's resonating with audiences and

the [exit] surveys we conducted showed that [the film] played very well

across all demographics. It has outstanding performances with great

direction by James Marsh. I believe the performances, the film itself and the

director will be getting Academy attention.“ The film was then widely

released on November 26 across 802 theatres, earning $5 million and

debuting at No. 7 at the Box Office. During its five day Thanksgiving week,

the film earned $6.4 million.