Apted
Philip Anschutz's Walden Media has tapped Michael Apted to direct political thriller "Amazing Grace," based on the life of British anti-slavery crusader William Wilberforce.
Script by Steven Knight ("Dirty Pretty Things") will focus on Wilberforce's efforts as a member of Parliament in 18th-century England to end slavery and the slave trade in the British empire. Wilberforce was elected to the House of Commons at 21 and took on the issue of slavery, successfully assembling a diverse coalition that went up against the most powerful men of the time.
Producers on the film include Terrence Malick and Ed Pressman under their Sunflower Prods. banner, Patricia Heaton ("Everybody Loves Raymond") and David Hunt for FourBoys Films, and Ken Wales. Jeanney Kim will serve as exec producer. Walden VP of production Jackie Levine and creative exec David Kaufmann will oversee the project for Walden Media, reporting to exec VP Alex Schwartz.
Apted, president of the Directors Guild of America, helmed the first three episodes of HBO's upcoming series "Rome"; other credits include "The World Is Not Enough," "Coal Miner's Daughter" and the "Seven Up" docu series. Knight received an Oscar nom for original screenplay for 2003's "Dirty Pretty Things."
Walden said it will launch an educational program in conjunction with "Amazing Grace."
Walden is producing "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" for Disney.
Contact Dave McNary at
dave.mcnary@variety.com