Toronto Film Festival Dailies

Academy AwardÒ, BAFTA and Golden GlobeÒ nominated actor Benedict Cumberbatch (THE IMITATION GAME, THE CURRENT WAR) is set to star in GYPSY BOY, the film adaptation based on Mikey Walsh’s best-selling memoirs, it was announced today by producers Dee Koppang O’Leary (Netflix’s “The Crown”) and Kevin Loader (MY COUSIN RACHEL, THE DEATH OF STALIN).

Morgan Matthews, the two-time BAFTA Award winning director whose first narrative feature was the highly acclaimed X+Y (aka A BRILLIANT YOUNG MIND), is directing the feature film which is scheduled to start production in the summer of 2018. 

Protagonist Pictures is handling worldwide sales on the project and is introducing it to buyers at the ongoing Toronto International Film Festival.

The two autobiographies, ‘Gypsy Boy’ and its sequel ‘Gypsy Boy: On The Run’, chronicle Walsh’s experiences growing up in England’s Romany community in the ‘80s and ‘90s. The books were optioned and developed as a film by Koppang O’Leary of Bowery & Bond Films, who worked closely with Walsh, whom she met shortly after he left the Romany community. BBC Films then came on board to finance the project.

Award-winning playwright and screenwriter James Graham (THE VOTE, COALITION), who has two plays running in the West End this autumn (INK and LABOUR OF LOVE) previously collaborated with Matthews on X+Y, adapted Walsh’s books, a wildly entertaining and inspirational coming-of-age story, set within a fascinating culture and the oncoming cultural change that closes in on the world around them. Graham worked closely with Walsh to capture the essence of the novels in the script.

The first autobiography ‘Gypsy Boy’, was released in 2010 by Hodder & Stoughton Ltd and was a Sunday Times No. 1 bestseller in the UK, receiving critical acclaim across international publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Attitude, Heat and The Advocate. Walsh’s best-selling follow-up book, ‘Gypsy Boy: On The Run’, was published in 201l to similar critical success.

The notorious Walsh family was part of the last generation of the Romany Gypsy people, known for their ability to fight. The sport of boxing is embedded in the Gypsy tradition – to fight for one’s family name and honour and reap the glory of its success.

When young Mikey Walsh is born, father Frank (Cumberbatch) places a pair of golden gloves on a chain around his neck in the hope that his son will maintain the family’s reputation. But even as an infant, Frank notices there is something different in Mikey, which leads to frustration and anger building over time.

As he grows into his teens, Mikey is forced to make an agonising decision - to stay and keep fighting, and face the shame head on, or escape, never to come back…

Casting is currently underway to find a young actor to play Mikey opposite Cumberbatch.

 “I’ve known Mikey since we were teenagers, and I was instantly fascinated by his life story, said Dee Koppang O’Leary.  “Mikey and I have been developing this film together with BBC Films for the last few years. Mikey is an incredible writer and a wonderful living and breathing source of material – we can’t wait to tell his inspirational, sincere and heartfelt story. As my first feature film, I’m delighted to and very proud to help bring GYPSY BOY to life on the big screen.”

“I fell in love with this story as soon as I heard Mikey speaking about his childhood on the radio a few years ago. Mikey’s extraordinary life touches upon the universal subjects of identity, love, conflict, courage and sacrifice - set within a brutal and extreme yet paradoxically beautiful and intoxicating hidden world. I’m so excited to have Benedict on board – it’s a dream to be able to work with him,” said director Morgan Matthews.

“I was immediately drawn to Mikey’s courageous and heart-breaking story. And his father Frank is unlike any character I've played before. He's a complex man torn between tradition and his love for a son struggling to come to terms with an identity that's completely at odds with Frank and his culture. It’s a tension that threatens to tear everyone in their family and that community apart,” said Benedict Cumberbatch.

“We are thrilled to be working with Dee and Kevin on this extraordinary project. As huge fans of Morgan Matthews' work, we couldn’t think of a more perfect filmmaker to bring Mikey Walsh’s powerful and compelling story to the big screen. With Benedict Cumberbatch attached to play Frank Walsh, this is an incredible array of talent and we are more than excited to introduce the project to buyers here in Toronto,” said Dave Bishop, CEO of Protagonist Pictures.

“This is the perfect team to bring a long-cherished project to the screen. We’re thrilled to be back in business with James Graham and Morgan Matthews following their collaboration on ‘X+Y’, and can’t wait to see Benedict Cumberbatch bring Frank Walsh to life,” said Joe Oppenheimer, Senior Commissioning Executive of BBC Films.

Benedict Cumberbatch is repped by Conway van Gelder Grant and UTA.

• www.gypsyboyfilm.com
• Twitter: @gypsyboyfilm
• Instagram: @gypsyboyfilm

ABOUT BOWERY & BOND FILMS

Bowery & Bond Films is a British film production company set up by husband & wife duo Dee Koppang O’Leary & Dermot O’Leary in 2012.

Dee Koppang O’Leary is an accomplished Producer & Director with 14 years experience across the worlds of non-scripted, observational documentary, music, fashion, travel documentaries for multiple UK & & US networks including BBC One, BBC Two, Channel 4, ITV, CBC, CBB, NBC, Bravo USA, MTV, Discovery and Netflix.

Dee has worked closely for many years with the UK/US TV live events production company Done & Dusted Productions, working between London, New York & Los Angeles. She has produced and directed on some of the largest events and performances around the world, working alongside award-winning director Hamish Hamilton, who directed the 82^nd Academy Awards ceremony, several Super Bowl halftime shows and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the 2012 London Olympic Games. 

Dee’s work includes producing and directing NBC’s documentary Justin Bieber: All Around The World and directing the opening titles on the feature documentary David Bowie Is Happening Now… in conjunction with The Victoria & Albert Museum, which was broadcast live in a worldwide theatrical release.

She has produced & directed multiple years of the CBS Primetime TV Special The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, with a global audience of around 800 million viewers as well as directing and co-executive producing two seasons of CBS’ The Victoria’s Secret Swim Special, a primetime documentary which was viewed by over 200 million viewers worldwide. (Working with all the major models of the last 8 years- including current supermodels Gigi Hadid, Kendal Jenner & Bella Hadid.

She has also created short films for global music superstars including Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Rhianna, Nick Jonas, The Weekend and One Direction. 

Dee has most recently moved into scripted drama, working as 2^nd unit director on Season 2 of the NETFLIX drama The Crown, starring Claire Foy, Matt Smith & Vanessa Kirby.

Her other highlighted directing credits include The CNN Heroes Awards which won a Peabody Award in 2012, documentary films for BBC One's Comic Relief: Red Nose Day, which were used for Sam Smith’s music video Lay Me Down, three seasons of RTS AWARD winning series Shipwrecked for Channel 4, a series of short travel documentary films: Night & Day for British GQ / Conde Nast, and two commercials for MARKS & SPENCER.  She was also a Producer on the BAFTA nominated UK 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony.

GYPSY BOY is Bowery & Bond's first feature film production. They currently have a slate of other optioned property, and are developing several TV Dramas, feature documentaries, as well as feature films.  

ABOUT BBC FILMS

BBC Films is at the forefront of independent filmmaking in the UK, developing and co-producing around twelve films a year. In 2015 BBC Films was awarded the Michael Balcon BAFTA for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema. Rose Garnett is the Director of BBC Films.

Upcoming films include six titles selected for the Toronto International Film Festival including Stephen Frears’ Victoria & Abdul to be released via Universal Pictures on 15^th September; Andy Serkis’ directorial debut, Breathe starring Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy, which is the opening night film of this year’s BFI London Film Festival and will be released in the UK by STXinternational on 27^th October; The Children Act featuring Emma Thompson and Stanley Tucci and On Chesil Beach, based on Ian McEwan’s Booker Prize shortlisted novel, with Saoirse Ronan and Billy Howle.

Currently in production are The White Crow directed by Ralph Fiennes and Joanna Hogg’s The Souvenir executive produced by Martin Scorsese.

Recent and current releases include Lone Scherfig’s Their Finest starring Gemma Arterton and Sam Claflin, William Oldroyd’s Lady Macbeth starring rising star Florence Pugh, Sean Foley’s Mindhorn co-written by and starring Julian Barratt and Simon Farnaby, Hope Dickson Leach’s The Levelling, Gurinder Chadha’s Viceroy’s House starring Hugh Bonneville and Gillian Anderson and Steve Cantor’s documentary Dancer.

Their latest award-winning and nominated films include Ken Loach’s I, Daniel Blake, which won the BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Film and was the winner of the 2016 Cannes Palme d’Or, Mick Jackson’s Denial, BAFTA Award nominee for Outstanding British Film and Florence Foster Jenkins starring Oscar and BAFTA Award nominee Meryl Streep and BAFTA Award nominee Hugh Grant.

Their films in post-production include Yardie, Idris Elba’s directorial debut, Stan & Ollie starring Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly and The Aftermath with Keira Knightley and Alexander Skarsgård.

BBC Films’ eclectic back catalogue includes Brooklyn, The Lady in the Van, Mr Holmes, Far from the Madding Crowd, Pride, Saving Mr. Banks, Philomena, Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, My Week with Marilyn, We Need To Talk About Kevin, Jane Eyre, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Made in Dagenham, An Education, In the Loop, Fish Tank, My Summer of Love, Truly Madly Deeply, and Billy Elliot.

bbc.co.uk/bbcfilms

Twitter @BBCFilms

ABOUT PROTAGONIST PICTURES 

Protagonist Pictures is an international finance, production and sales company which has a proven track record in outstanding films and commercial successes. Based in the UK, the company handles films from around the world, always maintaining a strong focus on filmmakers with exceptional vision and storytelling skills. 

Protagonist’s current successes on releases around the world include Ben Wheatley’s Free Fire with its ensemble cast of Brie Larson, Armie Hammer, Cillian Murphy, Sharlto Copley and Jack Reynor; Charlie McDowell’s The Discovery with Rooney Mara, Jason Segel and Robert Redford, William Oldroyd’s Lady Macbeth. Other titles include the 2017 Directors’ Fortnight Art Cinema Award Winner The Rider from Chloé Zhao to be distributed by Sony Pictures Classics, The Florida Project from Sean Baker to be distributed by A24, 2017 Un Certain Regard Official Selection April’s Daughter from writer, director, producer Michel Franco and Toronto International Film Festival 2017 Official Selections Beast, from Director Michael Pearce, and Dark River starring Ruth Wilson. 

Currently in post-production are Richard Loncraine’s Finding Your Feet, Amma Asante’s Where Hands Touch, Kristoffer Nyholm’s Keepers, and Pawel Pawlikowski’s Cold War which will be distributed by Amazon Studios. Currently in pre-production are Paramour, starring Kristin Scott Thomas, Juan Cabral’s Two/One starring Boyd Holbrook, The Souvenir from Executive Producer Martin Scorsese, and Vita & Virginia shooting in Ireland September 2017.