Principal photography has officially wrapped on ‘MARS EXPRESS,’ the feature film debut of BAFTA-winning actor and filmmaker Mackenzie Crook, best known for creating and starring in hit BBC series ‘Detectorists’ and ‘Small Prophets,’ as well as his roles in ‘The Office’ and the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ franchise.
The extraordinary true story of pioneering British planetary scientists Colin and Judith Pillinger, and their ambitious mission to find life on Mars, stars BAFTA winner Toby Jones (Mr Burton, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) as Colin Pillinger, alongside multi-Academy Award nominee Emily Watson (Hamnet, Breaking the Waves, Chernobyl) as his wife, Judith.
The film reunites Jones with Crook following their successful collaboration on the award-winning comedy series Detectorists. They are joined by a strong supporting cast including Nicholas Burns (Nathan Barley, Black Mirror: Demon 75), Richard Coyle (Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, The Other Bennet Sister), Thaddea Graham (Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Jay Kelly), David Dencik (Clayface, Top of the Lake), Julian Rhind-Tutt (Napoleon, Unforgotten), BAFTA winner Rob Delaney (Catastrophe, Deadpool & Wolverine) and Academy Award-winning filmmaker and actor Fisher Stevens (Succession, Beckham).
Set in mid-1990s Britain, ‘MARS EXPRESS’ follows Colin and Judith Pillinger as they embark on an extraordinary mission to develop the Beagle 2 probe, which would travel to Mars in search of organic life. With his distinctive mutton chops and strong West Country accent, Colin was an unlikely scientific hero. Together with Judith, he lived on an idyllic farm in the English countryside, surrounded by dairy cattle and other animals, while pursuing an ambition that would capture the nation’s imagination.
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Despite having little previous experience of building a spacecraft, the couple assembled a team of unconventional scientific minds and ambitious mavericks, taking on NASA in a remarkable attempt to make British space exploration history.
Set against a vivid 1990s backdrop and featuring a soundtrack of Britpop classics, ‘MARS EXPRESS’ brings an extraordinary real-life story to the big screen at a time when audience fascination with space exploration is at an all-time high.
The screenplay is written by Joe Bone (The Vanishing), based on Professor Colin Pillinger’s book My Life On Mars: The Beagle 2 Diaries.
Producers are Mary Burke, Luke Alkin and Kenton Allen for Big Talk Studios, alongside Will Clarke and Andy Mayson for Altitude. The film is co-produced by Big Talk Studios and Altitude and was developed in association with BBC Film.
