Sophie Thatcher and 28 Years Later star Erin Kellyman are teaming up for a unique new horror film. Variety reports that the two will star in Cavendish, a thriller set against the backdrop of England’s witch hunts in the 17th century, alongside Hamnet star Joe Alwyn.
Cavendish is written and directed by Christopher Andrews, with production beginning in Poland this fall. The film’s synopsis, per Variety, is as follows:
Set in 1645, the story sees a privileged young bride (Thatcher) accused of witchcraft on her wedding day and pursued by a ruthless witch hunter (Alwyn). Forced into an uneasy alliance with a sharp-witted poacher living on the margins of society (Kellyman), the two women, as per the synopsis, fight back, “turning their powerlessness into strength through violence, wit and defiance.”
Cavendish is produced by Ivana MacKinnon, Emily Leo, Rosa Attab, Jacqueline De Croy, Klaudia Smieja-Rostworowska, and Bogna Szewczyk-Skupien. Cornerstone will handle sales for the film, which will begin at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
“It’s rare to find a British action thriller in this period that feels this fresh, entertaining and original,” said Cornerstone’s Alison Thompson and Mark Gooder. “Cavendish is a real page-turner, with a wicked sense of humour and a bold subversion of traditional female roles. Christopher Andrews is going to create something fresh and exciting, and we can’t wait to share his vision with buyers.”
Thatcher was last seen in Drew Hancock’s Companion, as a woman who discovers her real identity as a companion robot on a romantic getaway with her boyfriend. She’s also set to star in Her Private Hell, the new thriller from Nicholas Winding Refn which premieres at Cannes next month. Kellyman appeared in both 28 Years Later and its sequel, The Bone Temple, as one of the Jimmies, and is also set to star in Simon Woods’ The Worst, alongside Keira Knightley and Alicia Vikander.
No release date has been announced for Cavendish. Stay tuned to FANGORIA for more updates.
