Principal photography has started on Ghost Stories, the film based on the original Olivier nominated stage production. The film is co-written and directed by Jeremy Dyson (writer The League of Gentlemen, Psychobitches) and Andy Nyman (The Commuter, Severance) who co-wrote and directed the original stage production.
Nyman also leads the cast, reprising his role as Professor Goodman alongside Paul Whitehouse (Alice in Wonderland, ‘Harry & Paul’, ‘The Fast Show’), Alex Lawther (‘Black Mirror’, Old Boys, The Imitation Game) and Martin Freeman (The Hobbit franchise, ‘Fargo’, ‘Sherlock’).
The film is produced for Warp Films by Claire Jones (Sightseers, Kill List), and Robin Gutch ('71, Kill List) and is backed by Catalyst Global Media and Screen Yorkshire. Altitude Film Sales is handling worldwide sales. Lionsgate will distribute the film in the UK/Eire. Principal photography began on October 24th and is scheduled to last for 5 weeks in Yorkshire.
Jeremy Dyson & Andy Nyman say of the project, “Over half a million people have seen the play and now we are beyond excited to be bringing the film version of 'Ghost Stories' to life. We adore supernatural thrillers and will be doing our utmost to ensure we give our audience an unforgettable experience that makes them laugh, scream and haunts their dreams".
Martin Freeman added, “I'm delighted to be on board Ghost Stories. Andy and Jeremy's script is funny, scary and extremely surprising. And they have amazing taste in actors”.
Phillip Goodman, professor of psychology, arch-skeptic, the one-man ‘belief buster’ – has his rationality tested to the hilt when he receives a letter apparently from beyond the grave. His mentor Charles Cameron, the ‘original’ TV parapsychologist went missing fifteen years before, presumed dead and yet now he writes to Goodman saying that the pair must meet. Cameron, it seems, is still very much alive. And he needs Goodman to find a rational explanation for three stories that have shaken Cameron to his core. As Goodman investigates, he meets three haunted people, each with a tale more frightening, uncanny and inexplicable than the last.
Jeremy Dyson is best known as a member of sketch comedy team ‘The League of Gentlemen’ along with Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith which started as a stage act and went on to become a BAFTA Award-winning TV series. He also co-wrote and directed Sky Arts hit series ‘Psychobitches’, which won the 2015 Rose D'or for Best Comedy.
Andy Nyman's acting career has included roles in many films including The Commuter, Death at a Funeral, Kick Ass 2, Severance, Automata and Black Death. TV credits include ‘Peaky Blinders’, ‘Dead Set’, ‘Ballot Monkeys’ and ‘Power Monkeys. Nyman is a co-writer and director of magician and illusionist Derren Brown's TV and stage shows including Russian Roulette, Séance, and Messiah. Their collaborations have been nominated for and won both BAFTA and Olivier awards.
The stage production of Ghost Stories broke box office records when it opened at the Liverpool Playhouse and Lyric Hammersmith before transferring to the West End’s Duke of York’s theatre and later playing Toronto, Moscow, Sydney, Shanghai and Lima, Peru.
