Fresh from starring opposite one another in Prime Video series ‘Wilderness’, Oliver Jackson-Cohen and Jenna Coleman are teaming up again for British action thriller ‘Jackdaw’.
The feature film debut of writer-director Jamie Childs (‘The Sandman’) will be released by Vertigo Releasing on 26th January 2024. Alongside Jackson-Cohen and Coleman, the film stars Thomas Turgoose (‘Creation Stories’) and Rory McCann (‘Game of Thrones’). Further cast includes Joe Blakemore (‘The Third Day’), Vivienne Acheampong (‘The Sandman’) and Leon Harrop (‘Ralph & Katie’).
‘Jackdaw’ is an unrelenting action thriller set over the course of a single night against the backdrop of North East England, an area where breath taking coastal landscapes meet the brutality of industry. Jack Dawson, a former motocross champion and army veteran, returns to his hometown to care for his brother after their mother dies. Hoping to start a new life, he takes what could be a life-changing job for an old school friend turned local criminal, Silas. What should have been a straightforward pick-up of a package in the North Sea turns into a nightmare when Jack is double-crossed, and his brother is kidnapped. As he fights for survival and searches for answers, Jack encounters friends and adversaries old and new across a violent night-time odyssey through England’s Northern rust belt.
‘Jackdaw’ had its World Premiere at the legendary Fantastic Fest in Texas on the 22nd September, and will be followed by a star-studded UK Premiere which will take place in the North East.
The film was shot on location in the North East of England in Hartlepool and the Tees Valley, around sites including Seal Sands, Nunthorpe, Redcar and the North Sea, filming against the backdrop of the region’s breathtaking coastlines and dramatic industrial landscapes. It also utilised The Northern Film and TV Studios, the North East’s only large-scale film and TV production facility. The film has seen significant investment from The Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority and the North East Production Fund, delivered by regional screen agency North East Screen on behalf of the North East Screen Industries Partnership (NESIP), as part of their ambitious plans to make the region one of the UK’s leading film and TV production hubs.
Writer-Director Jamie Childs said, “We see so many American films set in atmospheric towns that don’t tie themselves to local, kitchen-sink stories. I thought, why don’t we do this in Britain? We set out to push the envelope of what was possible stylistically and tonally in our region. Its clash of pastoral and industrial worlds is the perfect setting for an exciting, pulpy chase thriller. I wanted to prove to an up-and-coming wave of potential filmmakers that we can take advantage of what’s right on our doorstep and still appeal to an international audience. I’d like to thank North East Screen and the Tees Valley Combined Authority for helping us make this all possible.”
Gayle Woodruffe, Operations Director for North East Screen, said, “We have exceptional world class talent, amazingly diverse stunning locations and extremely experienced crew here in the North East. Supporting Jamie’s feature film debut as a writer-director via the North East Production Fund was a straightforward decision.”
‘Jackdaw’ will open in cinemas on 26 January 2024
