Alan Rickman (Harry Potter), Olivia Cooke (Me And Earl And The Dying Girl) and Douglas Booth (The Riot Club) have boarded Jane Goldman’s adaptation of Peter Ackroyd’s best-selling novel Dan Leno And The Limehouse Golem, with Lionsgate acquired UK and Ireland rights. The film, which will be directed by Juan Carlos Medina (Painless), will simply be called The Limehouse Golem. Set in 1880 London, it’s a gothic murder mystery described as being in the style of David Fincher’s Seven and James Watkins’ The Woman In Black. A series of murders has shaken the community to the point where people believe that only a legendary creature from dark times — the mythical so-called Golem — must be responsible.
Number 9 Films’ Stephen Woolley, Elizabeth Karlsen and Joanna Laurie will produce. Hanway Films is handling sales. Lionsgate moved quickly to snap up UK and Ireland rights before the upcoming Cannes market.
It’s been a busy few days for Woolley and his colleagues: Deadline exclusively revealed the producer had brought on Gemma Arterton and Bill Nighy to star in Their Finest Hour And A Half, and Woolley also is celebrating two films — Paolo Sorrentino’s Youth and Todd Haynes’ Carol –– in competition at Cannes.
“Having two films in competition in Cannes this year is a total thrill for Elizabeth and me, and we are privileged to be once again working with world-class filmmakers like Alan Rickman and Jane Goldman and the sensational director, Juan Carlos Medina and stars of the future Olivia Cooke and Douglas Booth on this gothic masterpiece,” Woolley said. “It’s going to be the first time the world will see the amazing universe that Peter Ackroyd has created that has a more sensational twist than The Crying Game!”
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