Tom Hardy sits behind the wheel of his vehicle in 'Locke'Image via A24
By
Rahul Malhotra
Published Jan 30, 2026, 7:31 PM EST
Rahul Malhotra is a Weekend News Writer for Collider. From Francois Ozon to David Fincher, he'll watch anything once.
He has been writing for Collider for over two years, and has covered everything from Marvel to the Oscars, and Marvel at the Oscars. He also writes obsessively about the box office, charting the many hits and misses that are released weekly, and how their commercial performance shapes public perception. In his time at Collider, he has also helped drive diversity by writing stories about the multiple Indian film industries, with a goal to introduce audiences to a whole new world of cinema.
Swing and a miss > measured victory. Also, #JusticeForHan. (He/Him). Sign in to your Collider account Add Us On follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recapStar Tom Hardy has cultivated a terrific creative partnership with writer Steven Knight; it wouldn't be surprising if the actor appears as a villain in Knight's upcoming James Bond reboot, directed by Denis Villeneuve. Their partnership has grown to include shows such as Taboo and Peaky Blinders, but it began in 2013 with the thriller film Locke. Knight also directed the movie, which was a one-man show, quite literally. Resting entirely on Hardy's shoulders, the film follows his character as he drives and has a series of phone conversations with off-screen characters played by the likes of Olivia Colman, Tom Holland, and Andrew Scott. Locke didn't make much of an impression at the box office, but it remains one of the greatest showcases for Hardy's magnetic screen presence. The movie is heading to a new streaming platform this February, where a new generation of fans can discover it.
Released in the aftermath of Hardy's star-making performances in Christopher Nolan's Inception and The Dark Knight Rises, as well as an acclaimed performance in Nicolas Winding Refn's Bronson, Locke grossed just around $5 million against a reported budget of $3 million. It earned positive reviews, mainly for Hardy's gripping work. Locke now holds a "Certified Fresh" 91% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, "A one-man show set in a single confined location, Locke demands a powerful performance — and gets it from a never-more-compelling Tom Hardy."
Tom Hardy Delivered a Similarly Commanding Performance in 'MobLand'
The movie serves as a companion piece to Hardy's most recent project, the crime drama series MobLand, which premiered on the Paramount+ streaming service last year. It features Hardy as a fixer for a London crime family, who has to balance both his personal and professional responsibilities with little emotional support. In Locke, his character drives across London to attend the birth of a child outside his relationship, while dealing with the various pressures of his life. Last year, Hardy also starred in Gareth Evans' Netflix film Havoc, which earned mixed reviews. Knight is writing the upcoming James Bond reboot, which is set to begin production after Villeneuve completes work on this year's Dune: Part Three.
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Locke
Like Follow Followed R Thriller Release Date April 25, 2014 Runtime 84 Minutes Director Steven Knight Producers Guy Heeley, Joe Wright, Paul Webster, Stuart Ford, David JourdanCast
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Tom Hardy
Ivan Locke
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Ruth Wilson
Katrina (voice)
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Locke
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Tom Hardy
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