Adele is making very surprising career change following five-year break from releasing music

After spending the past five years away from releasing new music, Adele appears to be preparing for a dramatic new chapter in her career.

The chart-topping musician, whose record-breaking albums have made her one of the biggest names in music, has largely kept a low profile professionally in recent years, with fans eagerly awaiting any sign of what she might do next.

Now, the Grammy-winning singer, 38, is set to make her debut on the big screen, with Adele preparing to take the film world by storm in the upcoming film Cry to Heaven.

The unexpected move marks a significant departure for the British star, who has built her career almost exclusively around music, and is likely to come as a surprise to fans hoping her next announcement would be a new album.

Adele is set to take the acting world by storm (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for AD)

The film will be directed, written and produced by former fashion designer Tom Ford, marking his latest move behind the camera.

The BRIT school alum is set to join an impressive ensemble cast featuring Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Colin Firth, Paul Bettany and Adolescence breakout star Owen Cooper.

Cry to Heaven is an adaptation of Anne Rice's 1982 novel of the same name, which is set in the lavish world of 18th-century Italy and follows the lives of the "castrati" – male singers who were castrated before puberty to preserve their high-pitched voices.

While the star-studded cast has been confirmed, details about the characters Adele and her fellow actors will portray remain firmly under wraps.

Adele was also recently spotted with the acclaimed designer in Sardinia, Italy, where she appeared wearing an England football shirt as she showed her support for the Three Lions ahead of their World Cup semi-final.

Adele and her fiancé Rich Paul (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Ford was pictured with Adele in Sardinia. He officially stepped down as creative director of his namesake fashion label in 2023 following its $2.8 billion sale to The Estée Lauder Companies and the Ermenegildo Zegna Group, allowing him to focus on his filmmaking career.

During the outing, Adele was also seen wearing her eye-catching diamond engagement ring, having confirmed last year that she is engaged to longtime partner Rich Paul.

The singer and the high-profile sports agent, who founded Klutch Sports Group and represents some of the biggest names in basketball, have been together since 2021 and became engaged in 2024. The couple have largely kept details of their wedding plans private.