Damian Lewis (Billions), Tom Felton (Harry Potter), and Ben Radcliffe (Masters of the Air) are set to star in the British period comedy Fackham Hall. They join the previously announced Thomasin McKenzie, Katherine Waterston, and Emma Laird.
The film is described as a spoof comedy movie in the vein of Airplane! and the Monty Python movies. The story “follows loveable pick-pocket Eric Noone (Radcliffe) as he lands a job at English manor house Fackham Hall.
“He quickly rises through the ranks and a forbidden romance with lady-of-the-house Rose Davenport (McKenzie) blossoms. But when an unexpected murder occurs, Eric gets framed — leaving Rose and her family’s future perilously uncertain.
“Lewis will play master-of-the-house Lord Davenport while Felton is Archibald, Eric’s main rival for Rose’s hand.”
The movie comes from director Jim O’Hanlon, and it was created by comedian Jimmy Carr, who will also play a supporting role.
The director said in a statement: “I’m so excited to be starting principal photography on Fackham Hall. We’ve assembled a stellar cast which would be the envy of any serious British period drama.
“This is doubly impressive given the fact that we are not in fact a serious British period drama, but a hilarious, laugh-out-loud, snort-Earl Grey-tea-out-your-nostrils British period comedy.
“Happily, our magnificent cast are as adept at making audiences laugh as they are at making them cry, so we’ve got the best of both worlds in one film! I can’t wait to get started.”
The producers of the film said in a joint statement:: “We’re thrilled to kick off filming on what promises to be a hilarious, quintessentially British comedy caper.
“With this stellar cast and a razor-sharp script that only Jimmy Carr (alongside the brilliant Dawson Brothers) could have dreamed up, this film will be a riot, combining wit, irreverence, and a love for the absurd, from start to finish. We can’t wait to bring this unique spoof to life and, ultimately, to audiences everywhere!”
Added writer Carr: “Future generations of film students will mention ‘Fackham Hall’ in the same sentence as Merchant Ivory. And that sentence will be ‘Fackham Hall’ was an insult to Merchant Ivory.”
The film is set to begin principal photography this week in the U.K. Bleecker Street will be releasing the film in the U.S. in 2025
Source: Variety
