Current Projects

Daniel Mays Joins the Cast of Magpie Murders

We are happy to announce that Daniel Mays has joined the stellar cast for Magpie Murders the six part series for Masterpiece PBS and Britbox UK and based on the best selling book from Anthony Horowitz. Lesley Manville was previously announced. Additional casting announced includes Tim McMullan -who steps in to replace Timothy Spall who had to step away from the production due to a scheduling conflict. Conleth Hill, plays Alan Conway. Other cast members joining the series include Pippa Haywood and Michael Maloney.

“I’m beyond thrilled to be joining the hugely talented cast of ‘Magpie Murders,’ not least to finally share the screen with the incredible Lesley Manville,” said Daniel Mays. “Anthony Horowitz’ scripts are ingenious. Murder, intrigue with plenty of laughs and tears along the way. I couldn’t put them down. With two timeframes to play in and the actors portraying not one but two roles it presented a wonderful opportunity to create a special piece of television.”

Tim McMullan said: “I’m absolutely loving doing ‘Magpie Murders.’ Anthony has written such a brilliant and beguiling script, full of wit, suspense and murder. It’s an immense privilege to be asked to bring to life the wonderful and enigmatic Atticus Pünd. He’s such a great character to play, I feel very fortunate indeed. To be working with such a talented cast is a total joy, and to be also working with Peter Cattaneo, of whom I’m a long-time fan, is the cherry on the cake.”

Magpie Murders revolves around the character Susan Ryeland, played by Lesley Manville, an editor who is given an unfinished manuscript by bestselling mystery writer Alan Conway, featuring Conway’s detective Atticus Pünd – and has little idea it will change her life.

Earlier this year, PBS’ MASTERPIECE and Britbox UK announced that they will co-produce and broadcast Magpie Murders, a new drama based on the bestselling novel written by Anthony Horowitz OBE.

The six-part series is produced by Jill Green and Eleventh Hour Films. Lauded as “a magnificent piece of crime fiction” and “an ingenious novel within a novel” by the Sunday Times (London), Magpie Murders topped multiple best-seller lists including the New York Times and Los Angeles Times and appeared on the year-end Best Books lists of NPR, USA Today and others. Its international awards include the prestigious Macavity Award for Best Novel. A beguiling murder mystery with a solution that will both astonish and shock viewers, the plot of Magpie Murders revolves around the character Susan Ryeland, an editor who is given an unfinished manuscript of author Alan Conway’s latest novel, but has little idea it will change her life.

The television adaptation is scripted by Horowitz, who is known to MASTERPIECE fans for the popular World War II mystery Foyle’s War. MASTERPIECE executive producer Susanne Simpson said, “Anthony Horowitz is a master mystery writer, and Magpie Murders is a beautiful and complex work. Our MASTERPIECE audience will truly enjoy this intriguing story of a mystery within a mystery.” MASTERPIECE is presented on PBS by WGBH Boston.Anthony Horowitz said, “Magpie Murders is my most successful novel and it wasn’t easy to adapt. But I think the result is a completely original drama that will delight and beguile audiences in equal measure.” Jill Green said, “This is an extraordinary and distinctive drama. I don’t think there’s ever been a crime show like it with a strong female lead treading the line between reality and fiction as she fights to uncover the truth.” Magpie Murders is streaming in the U.K. exclusively on BritBox UK. Magpie Murders is an Eleventh Hour Films production for MASTERPIECE and BritBox UK and distributed worldwide by Sony Pictures Television

Currently filming, Magpie Murders is expected to premiere in 2022 on Masterpiece PBS and Britbox UK.


Check back for updates on filming and transmission date information.

Follow Daniel Mays on Twitter @DanielMays9 and Instagram: @danielmays9

©DanielMays.co.uk

Daniel Mays joins the cast of “Swimming with Men”

IMG_2784

Photo courtesy of HanWay Films

It was announced today that Daniel Mays has joined the cast of Oliver Parker’s (Dad’s Army) new comedy film “Swimming with Men”.

Oliver Parker’s synchronized-swimming comedy “Swimming With Men,” which stars Rob Brydon (“The Huntsman: Winter’s War”), has rounded out its cast, with “Downton Abbey’s” Jim Carter, “Sherlock’s” Rupert Graves and “Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie’s” Jane Horrocks among those boarding the film. HanWay Films is selling the pic.

The cast also includes Adeel Akhtar, Daniel Mays, Charlotte Riley, Thomas Turgoose, and Nathaniel Parker. Principal photography started Tuesday in London, Hertfordshire and Essex.

The film tells the story of a man suffering a mid-life crisis (Brydon) who finds new meaning to his life as part of an all-male, middle-aged, amateur synchronized swimming team.

Synopsis:
SWIMMING WITH MEN is a heart-warming comedy about a man in the throes of a mid-life crisis who finds meaning in the most unlikely of places: an all-male, middle-aged, amateur synchronised swimming team.

At the heart of the story is Eric, a 40-something stuck in a rut. With his marriage in tatters and his life generally going to pieces, Eric finds unexpected refuge in the company of a motley crew of middle-aged, slightly saggy men, who meet up once a week at the local municipal pool literally and figuratively to tread water together.

Eric slowly realizes that there’s strength in numbers, and that if this unlikely band of misfits can become a real team they might just have a shot at winning the Unofficial Male Synch-Swimming World Championships – and maybe even at turning their lives around.

Oliver Parker, Director of Swimming with Men said:

It’s a real privilege to be working with a British ensemble of such high calibre – and to chuck them in the pool.

Gabrielle Stewart, Managing Director of HanWay Films said:
SWIMMING WITH MEN has the DNA of some of our most beloved British comedies, from THE FULL MONTY to CALENDAR GIRLS. If just half of the fun we have seen in practice in the pool these last few weeks translates onto the screen, we are in for another British comedy classic treat. Good luck in the pool everyone!

 Based on the Dylan Williams’ 2010 documentary “Men Who Swim,” the film is written by Aschlin Ditta. It is produced by Stewart le Marechal and Anna Mohr-Pietsch for Met Film and Maggie Monteith of Dignity Film Finance, in association with Amp Film. Paul Webster and Guy Heeley of Shoebox Films will serve as executive producers.

Icon Film Distribution will release “Swimming With Men” in the U.K. and Ireland in 2018. Worldwide sales are handled by HanWay. It has already sold to Icon for Australia, Alamode in Germany and Sun Distribution Group for Spain and Latin America.

Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting new project!

Follow Daniel Mays on Twitter @DanielMays9

©DanielMays.co.uk