The New World is a 2005 historical romantic drama film written and directed by Terrence Malick. The film depicts the founding of the Jamestown, Virginia, settlement in the early 17th century and is inspired by the historical figures Captain John Smith, Pocahontas of the Powhatan tribe, and English settler John Rolfe. It is Malick’s fourth feature film.
The film stars Colin Farrell, Q’orianka Kilcher, Christopher Plummer, Christian Bale, August Schellenberg, Wes Studi, David Thewlis, Yorick van Wageningen and John Savage. Key members of the production team include cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, producer Sarah Green, production designer Jack Fisk, costume designer Jacqueline West, composer James Horner, and editors Richard Chew, Hank Corwin, Saar Klein, and Mark Yoshikawa.
![The New World | film by Malick [2005] | Britannica](https://cdn.britannica.com/39/221639-050-06F2D2B4/movie-still-The-New-World-2005.jpg)
Despite receiving numerous award nominations, particularly for Lubezki’s cinematography, Kilcher’s performance, and Horner’s musical score, The New World was a box-office disappointment. Upon its initial release, the film received positive but restrained critical reviews, though it has since been reappraised by several critics and is now regarded generally favorably.
