Knightsbridge Films will partner with Bedlam Productions to produce the as yet untitled Jamie Vardy project. Adrian Butchart will produce for Knightsbridge, with Simon Egan (THE KING’S SPEECH) and Oscar winner Gareth Ellis-Unwin (THE KING’S SPEECH, KAJAKI. THE TRUE STORY) producing for Bedlam. The feature film will chart Vardy’s remarkable journey from English football’s lower divisions to the heights of success with Leicester City. City’s stunning Premier League 2015-16 campaign saw them win the league against initially huge odds, while Vardy became a record-breaking goal-scorer for the club and a fixture in the England team.
Adrian Butchart (GOAL!, GOAL 2), who is developing the script, comments, “This film has already gathered so much attention from the public, the media, and the entertainment industry – some considerate it as the sport success story of the century – that there were multiple offers on the table. But when Simon and Gareth expressed an interest in being involved, there was no question in my mind that they were the right partners. I am very excited to be working with two producers with such outstanding track records and look forward to making a quality movie with them.”
Simon Egan, Bedlam Productions said, “Gareth and I are thrilled to be producing this movie with Adrian. This true-life, rags-to-riches story ofVardy and his team, Leicester City, transcends far beyond sport; it’s the stuff dreams are made of.”
Jamie Vardy’s agent, John Morris, said, “It’s an exciting development to have people of such high calibre wanting to be involved in Jamie’s story. Both Jamie and I are delighted at how the movie is progressing and this announcement is fantastic news.”
ABOUT BEDLAM PRODUCTIONS:
Simon Egan and Gareth Ellis-Unwin’s Bedlam Productions has produced four films to date. Its first, EXAM, was released in 2009 and won Spirit, Dinard Awards and saw the films’ director Stuart Hazeldine BAFTA nominated for Best Debut. THE KING’S SPEECH followed in 2010, which would go on to collect over 80 international film awards including BAFTAs for Best British Film & Best Film, PGA Producer of the Year award for Gareth and finally the Best Picture Oscar in 2010. It is recognised as being the highest grossing British independent film of all time. ZAYTOUN came next, an Israeli/Palestinian bromance, which bowed at Toronto International Film Festival collecting one of the coveted Audience Awards. Most recently Gareth exec produced the BAFTA nominated KAJAKI. THE TRUE STORY, which saw the film’s director and producer BAFTA nominated for best debut and went on to win the BIFA Producer of the Year. Bedlam’s output also includes high-end drama and documentaries for TV.
ABOUT KNIGHTSBRIDGE FILMS:
Knightsbridge Films is a British company started in 1948, which produced a string of classic movies gaining seven BAFTA and two Oscar nominations with actors like Sir Norman Wisdom, Sir Alec Guinness, Sir John Mills and Susanna York. That original company shuttered in 1993 and the new Knightsbridge Films was formed with the intention of continuing that great tradition of Anglo-Hollywood filmmaking. Knightsbridge picked up Jamie Vardy’s life rights, and the rights to his upcoming autobiography, after he broke the record of scoring in the most consecutive games ever in the Premier League, well before anyone could imagine that Leicester would go on to win the title