The Tempest is a comedy-drama film based on the play of the same name by William Shakespeare, featuring Helen Mirren in the principal role of Prospera, Djimon Hounsou as Caliban, Alfred Molina as Stephano and Russell Brand as Trinculo. The film is directed by Julie Taymor and received its World Premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September 2010. Sandy Powell received yet another Academy Award for Best Costume Design nomination for this film, her eighth nomination.

Powell has won the award three times earlier, most recently for The Young Victoria in 2010. Prospera, the duchess of Milan, is usurped by her brother Antonio and is cast off on a raft to die with her four-year-old daughter Miranda. They survive, finding themselves stranded on an island where the beast Caliban is the sole inhabitant. Prospera enslaves Caliban and claims the island. After 12 years, Alonso, the king of Naples, sails back to his kingdom from the marriage of his daughter to the prince of Tunisia, accompanied by his son Ferdinand and Antonio. Prospera, apprehending her chance for revenge, causes a tempest, wrecking the ship and stranding those on board on her island.