With the success of Skyfall in the past few months, grossing over $1bn. around the globe, the interest in Ian Fleming’s creation is clearly showing no signs of slowing down after all these years. And now it looks like the man himself will soon be making his presence felt on the small screen, with Sky Atlantic giving the green light to a four-part biopic, Fleming.
Variety are reporting that the rising young star Dominic Cooper (The Devil’s Double, Captain America: The First Avenger) has been cast in the titular lead.
And Deadline follow it up with a report saying that Annabelle Wallis (The Tudors, Pan Am) will be starring as Muriel Wright, a woman with whom the author had an affair, and who is thought by some to be the original inspiration for the renowned ‘Bond girl’.
“Provisionally entitled “Fleming,” the miniseries is set during WWII when the maverick and hedonistic Fleming was hired by British Naval intelligence as part of its undercover campaign against the Nazis, after his careers as a banker and stockbroker failed.”
BAFTA-nominated director Mat Whitecross (Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll) is at the helm, with John Brownlow (Sylvia) and Don MacPherson (The Avengers [the 1998 film]) penning the scripts.
Cooper has had a very much well-deserved rise to recognition in recent years, and this definitely sounds like a solid casting choice from where we’re standing.
Fleming is due to go into production next month, shooting in the UK and Budapest. No word yet on exactly when it will be airing, but it’s expected to arrive on Sky Atlantic before the year’s end, with BBC Worldwide distributing internationally.
