Former James Bond star Pierce Brosnan is set to star in The Last Rifleman, based on the true story of World War II veteran Bernard Jordan according to Deadline.
Brosnan will portray Artie Crawford, “a World War II veteran living in a care home in Northern Ireland who has just lost his wife. On the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, he decides to escape his care home and embarks on a journey to France to pay his final respects.”
The script was written by Kevin Fitzpatrick with Terry Loane (Agatha and the Truth of Murder) directing. It will be produced by Katy Jackson and John Leslie from Wee Buns and co-produced by Jacqueline Kerrin and Dominic Wright from Ripple World Pictures. Northern Ireland Screen is funding the film with WestEnd Films introducing the project ahead of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.
“We were highly impressed by Kevin Fitzpatrick’s incredible script and Terry Loane’s great vision for the story and we couldn’t be more excited now that Pierce Brosnan has joined the project,” said WestEnd MD Maya Amsellem.
“When I first read Kevin’s screenplay, I found it to be a beautifully touching story with an honest heart and soul,” said Loane. “It is the script that directors search for: a powerful, character-led drama that perfectly balances heart and pathos. The personal price paid by those in the aftermath of war is something that resonates with all ages, all over the world.”
“Bernard Jordan’s daring journey caught the nation’s attention and highlighted the spirit that epitomised the second world war generation. I was enthralled by this story and the motives that drive a man near the end of his life on a quest to a place that must hold only painful memories,” said Kevin Fitzpatrick.
The Last Rifleman will begin filming this winter in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
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