Award-winning actors Timothy Spall, Matthew Macfadyen and Juliet Stevenson take starring roles in sky living’s major new drama: “The Enfield Haunting
Kristoffer Nyholm, widely credited for his work on acclaimed Danish drama “The Killing” to direct
“Walking On Sunshine”’s Joshua St Johnston to write
Adapted from Guy Lyon Playfair’s book “This House is Haunted”
Sky Living today announces brand new original drama commission “The Enfield Haunting”, a three part dramatisation of the terrifying and bizarre real events that took place at an ordinary house in Enfield during the autumn of 1977.
Adapted from Guy Lyon Playfair’s book “This House is Haunted”, “The Enfield Haunting” is a supernatural drama based upon real events surrounding the phenomena, and draws on extensive documentation, recordings and witness statements. The incident remains to this day the most documented account of poltergeist activity in British history.
British actor Timothy Spall, OBE recently bestowed the Best Actor accolade at this year’s Cannes Film Festival for his role in Mike Leigh’s Mr Turner, will play Maurice Grosse, a rookie paranormal researcher. After a recent personal tragedy, he is drawn to the house on Green Street after disturbing reports of a desperate family terrorised by malevolent unseen forces. BAFTA nominated actress Juliet Stevenson CBE (Emma, Truly Madly Deeply, The Village) will star alongside Spall to play his wife Betty.
Timothy Spall commented: “I am very pleased to be taking part in The Enfield Haunting. Not only is it based on a supernatural happening, it is also a brilliant script that is full of emotional texture and develops beautifully into a human story. I am very much looking forward to working with the excellent team Sky Living and Eleven Film have assembled.”
Award-winning actor Matthew Macfadyen (Ripper Street, Frost/Nixon, Pride and Prejudice) will play Guy Lyon Playfair, an experienced investigator who approaches the case with scepticism. Working together to get to the heart of the supernatural happenings, Maurice and Guy will both have to confront their own pasts. Can they save this family from the hauntings and make peace with their own ghosts?
Matthew Macfadyen said: "I'm very pleased and excited to be a part of this strange, unsettling and really quite moving story - and especially pleased to be working again with the brilliant Tim Spall."
Kristoffer Nyholm, widely acclaimed for his work on the global hit drama “The Killing” will direct from screenplays by Joshua St Johnston ("Walking on Sunshine", "Sweeney Todd"). Adrian Sturges ("The Disappearance of Alice Creed") will produce for Eleven Film, ("Cast-Offs", "Glue") alongside Executive Producer Jamie Campbell. Cameron Roach, Acting Head of Drama will executive produce for Sky.
The 3 x 60 period drama is part of Sky’s drive to bring more high quality, exclusive programmes to customers, and demonstrates its continued commitment to investing in original British content. “The Enfield Haunting” will form the cornerstone of Sky Living’s Spring 2015 schedule and follows the provocative drama series “Dracula”, which starred Jonathan Rhys Meyers and concluded earlier this year.
Antonia Hurford-Jones, Director, Sky Living said: “This gripping, touching and terrifying drama is the very definition of my ambition to bring the best and most compelling stories to Sky Living. I am so proud that the first class acting talent of Timothy Spall, Matthew Macfadyen and Juliet Stevenson combined with the directing brilliance of Kristoffer Nyholm are coming together to bring this incredible story, based on real events , to life on Living. ‘The Enfield Haunting’, with its emotionally rich characters, strong storytelling and powerful supernatural core, is sure to keep our customers in suspense and will set the standard of original scripted drama on Sky Living.”
Jamie Campbell, Executive Producer, Eleven Film added: “Bringing this terrifying and rich story to a drama audience for the first time, with access to the exhaustive source material, has been truly exciting. We have a stellar team, and a great dramatic conundrum: what on earth was behind the many strange and other-worldly incidents that took place in Enfield in the late 1970s? One thing's clear: anyone who thinks that we live in a world unaffected by the supernatural should watch this series and reconsider."
Principal photography is slated to begin in London this autumn with further casting to be announced in due course. Worldwide rights will be handled by eOne.
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
For more information please contact:
Jakki Lewis
PR Manager, Sky Living
Jakki.lewis@bskyb.com
+44 207 032 1494
Dominic Collett
Publicist
Dominic.collett@bskyb.com
+44 207 032 4892
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