Banijay U.K. has signed a development deal with Ellie Wood, producer of Netflix‘s The Dig and ITV’s Stonehouse, and her company Clearwood Films.
The deal follows on from a first-look agreement between Banijay Rights, Banijay Entertainment’s distribution arm, and Clearwood Films, which ran from 2019. Banijay Rights will continue to distribute Clearwood projects.
The first development project is the acquisition of the rights to Barbara Pym’s Excellent Women, generally considered the author’s most successful book, with the option to develop further Pym novels.
Clearwood Films will have access to funding in order to develop ideas and treatments as well as support from central Banijay U.K. resources including finance, legal and business affairs. Once greenlit, Clearwood has the option to partner with Banijay U.K. companies to co-produce.
Patrick Holland, CEO of Banijay U.K., said: “Ellie is a brilliant producer with an established reputation for creating standout, high-quality drama. Banijay Rights have had a successful first look deal in place with Clearwood, working with Ellie on projects including Stonehouse, and we are delighted to be backing her vision.”
Wood added: “I’m thrilled to be working with Patrick and continuing Clearwood Films’ partnership with the wider Banijay family. I’m particularly excited to be developing the novels of one of my favourite authors, the inimitable Barbara Pym. Just as Jilly Cooper’s Rivals gave us a ‘Cooperverse’, I look forward to creating a ‘Pymverse’ and bringing this iconic author’s uniquely British tales of comic observation and unrequited love not only to her legions of fans but also to a wider TV audience.”
Upcoming Clearwood Films projects include an as-yet-unannounced single scripted project for a linear broadcaster while Wood is the executive producer on Film4‘s adaptation of Deborah Levy’s novel Hot Milk, starring Emma Mackey, Fiona Shaw and Vicky Krieps, which recently premiered at the Berlinale.
Elsewhere, 49 Days, a political drama by acclaimed writer John Preston, based on the tumultuous short-lived premiership of Liz Truss, backed by Banijay is also in development.
