Alexander Skarsgård And Harry Melling To Star In Queer, BDSM Biker Romance

Harry Melling (Harry Potter, The Queen’s Gambit) is set to lose “all kinds of virginities” to Alexander Skarsgård (Succession, The Northman) in Pillion, a “fun and filthy” queer, BDSM-laden romance. 

Melling, who has outshone his role as Dudley Dursey in recent years, stars as the introverted Colin for whom life is passing by uneventfully – until he meets the tall, handsome and irresistible Ray (Skarsgård), who is the leader of a motorcycle gang. 

Whisking Colin away from the bleak everyday life of suburbia, Ray shows Colin a completely different way of life as a submissive 24/7. Sooner or later though, the previously-timid Colin will begin to wonder if his life with Ray is healthy for him.

Based on the novel 2020 Box Hill by Adam Mars-Jones, the film is in production at Element Pictures, who recently helped produce the Oscar-winning Poor Things, and set to shoot this summer in the UK with director Harry Lighton at the helm. Financial backing is being provided by BBC Film and the British Film Institute. 

The cast and crew behind Pillion

It’s not the first time that Skarsgård has starred in a film with some kinky elements throughout – last year’s Infinity Pool more than proved the actor’s ability to star in a kinky movie (though he was on the end of a leash in that movie, not holding it). 

It’s more of a surprising role for Melling, who’s spent the years since he last appeared in a Harry Potter film taking on interesting theatre, TV and movie roles. 

Pillion also serves as the first feature film directed by Harry Lighton, who previously directed the BAFTA-nominated short film Wren Boys.

Emma Norton of Element Pictures said of the director: “Harry is a filmmaker who is drawn to risk and fascinated by the potential to find surprising complexity in everyday life. We love this about him and believe that Pillion is the perfect expression of his talent, bravery and ambition.”

It’s unknown when the film will be released at present, but it’s fair to expect it’ll be out in 2025.