Emily Bluntis set to star oppositeJamie Dornanin the romantic dramaWild Mountain Thyme, and they’ll be joined by Emmy winnerJon Hammand Oscar winnerChristopher Walken, as well as Irish actressDearbhla Molloy.
Oscar winnerJohn Patrick Shanleyis directing the adaptation of his own Broadway hitOutside Mullingar, and Bleecker Street has acquired U.S. rights to the indie film.
The lyrical Irish romance will find Blunt and Dornan playing star-crossed lovers whose families are caught up in a feud over a patch of land that separates their two farms. Walken will play Dornan’s father, who threatens to bequeath the family farm to his son’s American cousin, played by Hamm. Meanwhile, Molloy will play Blunt’s mother, who strives to unite the two families before it’s too late.
Blunt replacesHolliday Grainger, who was originally set to star. Now, I like Grainger, but Blunt obviously represents a major casting upgrade, given her commercial appeal. Audiences are simply more likely to watch a romance between two stars than a couple where the power dynamic is perhaps a bit unbalanced. All I know is, I can’t wait to hear Walken try his hand at an Irish accent. That alone might just be worth the price of admission.
Wild Mountain Thymeis being produced byLeslie Urdang(Beginners) of Mar-Key Pictures, which also developed the project;Anthony Bregman(Foxcatcher) of Likely Story;Michael HelfantandBradley Gallo(The Call) of Amasia Entertainment, which is also co-financing the film;Martina Niland(Once) of Port Pictures, andAlex Witchel. Executive producers includeAndrew Kramer,Jonathan LoughranandStephen Mallaghan. Production will start Sept. 30 in Ireland.
Blunt recently wrapped Paramount’s spooky sequel toA Quiet Placeand she’ll soon be seen oppositeDwayne Johnsonin Disney’sJungle Cruise. It has been a while since she has really played a romantic lead, and I look forward to seeing her burn up the screen with Dornan inWild Mountain Thyme.
Hamm is poised for a major year ahead, as he co-stars in four high-profile films –Scott Z. Burns' Sundance dramaThe Report,Noah Hawley’s astronaut thrillerLucy in the Sky,Clint Eastwood’s terrorism dramaRichard Jewell(rumored to be ready this year), and next year’s blockbusterTop Gun: Maverick. He’s repped Forward Entertainment and CAA, which also reps Blunt. Walken is repped by ICM Partners.
