EXCLUSIVE: Film, which is inspired by Dylan Thomas and a private eye trailing him in 1953, will shoot in New York in 2013.

UK production outfit Western Edge Pictures has acquired the screen rights to Welsh writer Owen Sheers’ A Visit To America.

The outfit plans a shoot in 2013 in New York City for the film noir thriller.

The story is based on a private eye having a personal and professional crisis in New York in 1953, as he is tasked by Time magazine to follow visiting Welsh poet Dylan Thomas in order to defend the magazine against a libel case Thomas was bringing against them.

Western Edge also plans a full transmedia strategy for the film, led by Western Edge Assets Producer Franki Goodwin. The film will be readied for release in 2014 to coincide with many Dylan Thomas centenary events.

CEO of WEP, Vaughan Sivell says “It’s really exciting to be working with Owen on a project that will showcase such a great Welsh writing talent and Thomas’ impact in the States in a really exciting and unusual way - it feels very much in the rebellious spirit of Thomas himself.”

Sheers previously wrote Resistance and The Gospel of Us.

Western Edge, based in London and Wales, made its feature debut with Hattie Dalton’s Third Star starring Benedict Cumberbatch. Western Edge CEO Vaughan Sivell wrote and produced.