Matthew Macfadyen, Penelope Wilton, Johnny Flynn and Tom Wilkinson are joining Colin Firth and Kelly Macdonald in John Madden’s Second World War drama Operation Mincemeat.
The film, produced by See-Saw Films and Cohen Media Group with Archery Pictures, has also newly cast Hattie Morahan (Official Secrets), Simon Russell Beale (Mary Queen Of Scots), Paul Ritter (Chernobyl) and Mark Gatiss (Sherlock).
Macfadyen has most recently garnered attention for his role in HBO’s Succession while both Wilton and Wilkinson appeared in Madden’s The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Flynn is perhaps best-known for roles in Michael Pearce’s Beast and Olivier Assayas’ Clouds of Siles Maria. The casting director is Jina Jay.
Michelle Ashford, whose credits include The Pacific and Masters of Sex, has written the screenplay, based on the Ben Macintyre book of the same name. The film will start later this month in London and Spain.
Based on a true story, the film is set in 1943 and follows two Allied intelligence officers, played by Firth and Macfadyen, who come up with a disinformation strategy involving a dead body to help the war effort against the Axis power.
FilmNation Entertainment and See-Saw’s in-house sales arm, Cross City Films, sold out international territories at this year’s Cannes, with Warner Bros acquiring several key markets, including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Benelux. Cross City Films and CAA Media Finance are co- representing US rights.
The producers on the project are Charles S. Cohen, See-Saw’s Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Archery Pictures’ Kris Thykier. See-Saw’s Simon Gillis will serve as executive producer.
Director Madden’s credits include Shakespeare In Love and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
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