Chris Noth makes return to big screen in The Block, four years after #MeToo claims

Chris Noth, the actor best known as "Mr Big" from "Sex and the City," is returning to the big screen for the first time in more than four years in a role that is markedly different from his sitcom persona. The project is a psychological thriller titled The Block, set for release next year, in which Noth plays a Stephen King–style horror writer who mentors the lead character.

Director Craig Singer told The Mail on Sunday that Noth's character is "about as far from Mr Big as you can get" and that audiences will be surprised by his performance. Noth's public arc has been defined by controversy since he was killed off in the first episode of And Just Like That in 2021. Two anonymous women accused him of sexual assault in separate incidents in 2004 and 2015. Noth denied the claims, calling the encounters "categorically false" and saying they were "consensual." No charges were filed and police in Los Angeles and New York, where the alleged incidents took place, confirmed there were no ongoing investigations.

Noth has not starred in a movie or television show since the allegations and the subsequent fallout, which contributed to his temporary withdrawal from major screen projects. Singer, whose other credits include independent and genre work, said he did not hesitate to cast Noth, noting the actor's broader resume includes Law & Order and The Good Wife. He explained that Noth was originally slated for a smaller part but ended up taking a pivotal role as the reclusive mentor to the lead character.

"We were introduced by a mutual friend," Singer said in the interview. "Chris was originally going to play a smaller part but he ended up playing a pivotal role as this reclusive Stephen King–style horror writer who is the mentor of the lead character. I talked to people in the industry about whether the accusations would adversely affect the film, and people seemed to feel that it was yesterday's news."

The Block is scheduled for release next year, though a firm date has not been announced. The project marks a notable return to screen work for Noth, whose prior fame centered on the romantic arc of Mr Big and his onscreen chemistry with Carrie Bradshaw. The film industry has watched closely to see how audiences and studios respond to his comeback in a role that contrasts sharply with the character that made him a global star.