THN have received the news from AI Film, Altitude Film Entertainment, UNIGRAM, Pinewood Productions, and World’s End (that’s a lot isn’t it?) as they announce that the principal photography begins next week on dark and satirical comedy KILL YOUR FRIENDS about the infamous era of Britpop music with Warner Music Group on board to produce the film’s soundtrack.
That era is exactly when I spent my time going to gigs, fighting my corner for the likes of Pulp and Blur (and then equally Oasis) – so this is right up my alley. This the first-time feature for Owen Harris who’s been working in TV but with good titles including Misfits, Secret Diary of a Call Girl and Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror.
It’s written by John Niven and based on his cult novel of the same name, Nicholas Houlttakes the lead role of Steven Stelfox and is joined by a hugely talented ensemble cast including Craig Roberts, Tom Riley, Georgia King (The New Normal), Jim Piddock (A MIGHTY WIND), Joseph Mawle (Birdsong), James Cordenand Edward Hogg.
Here’s an official guide:
London, 1997; the British music industry is on a winning streak. Britpop bands Blur, Oasis, The Verve rule the airwaves and Cool Britannia is in full swing. 27 year old A&R man Steven Stelfox is slashing and burning his way through the music business, a world where ‘no one knows anything’ and where careers are made and broken by chance and the fickle tastes of the general public. Fuelled by greed, ambition and inhuman quantities of drugs, Stelfox lives the dream, as he searches for his next hit record. But as the hits dry up and the industry begins to change, Stelfox takes the concept of “killer tunes” to a murderous new level in a desperate attempt to salvage his career.
Scottish writer John Niven spent ten years working in the music industry for a variety of record companies before leaving to focus on his writing. His novels include Music From Big Pink, Kill Your Friends, The Amateurs, and most recently Straight White Male.
KILL YOUR FRIENDS is due to film over the next 5 weeks in London, it’s early days so no release details at this point.
