News from across the pond is that principal photography is underway on A Long Way Down, the adaptation of Nick Hornby’s (‘About A Boy’, ‘High Fidelity’) irreverent hit novel. Directed by Pascal Chaumeil (Heartbreaker, Fly Me to the Moon) with a screenplay by Jack Thorne (How I Live Now, The Scouting Book for Boys) and is currently being shot on location in England and Spain.
The film features two-time Golden Globe nominee Pierce Brosnan (The Matador, Goldeneye), Academy Award nominee Toni Collette (The Sixth Sense, Little Miss Sunshine), Emmy Award winner Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) and Imogen Poots (28 Weeks Later, Jane Eyre). Rounding out the cast are three-time Golden-Globe nominee Sam Neill (The Piano, Jurassic Park) and fellow Bond alumn Rosamund Pike (Pride and Prejudice, An Education).
Based on the novel of the same name A Long Way Down takes place on New Year’s Eve where, on the top of a London skyscraper, Martin (Brosnan) is literally on the edge. A once-beloved TV personality, he’s now desperate to jump. But he’s not alone. Single mother Maureen, (Collette), sassy teen Jess (Poots), and failed musician turned pizza-delivery boy JJ (Paul), have all turned up on the same roof with the same plan.
Instead of jumping, these four strangers make a pact to stay alive and stay together until Valentine’s Day at least. Both funny and poignant, A Long Way Down follows this group of unlikely friends as they try to pull back from the brink.
Have a look at the first official shot of Brosnan and company…click the image for a hi-rez version
Ben Davis (Kick Ass, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) is director of photography on the film, with Barney Pilling (Quartet, An Education) as editor. Production designer is Chris Oddy (Under the Skin) and Odile Dicks-Mireaux (BAFTA-nominated for An Education, Dirty Pretty Things) is costume designer. Nina Gold (Prometheus, The King’s Speech) is casting director.
A Long Way Down is produced by Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey (Academy Award nominees for An Education) through their company Wildgaze Films. Finola mostrecently produced Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut Quartet, starring Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connelly and Pauline Collins. Quartet premiered to acclaim at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival, with its UK premiere to be at this year’s London Film Festival. The film will will be distributed in the UK by Lionsgate, internationally by Hanway Films and this is expected to hit theaters cinemas in the UK January 2013.