Cannes 2012: Jude Law To Star in Richard Shepard's 'Dom Hemingway'

Jude Law has signed on to star in Dom Hemingway, a London-set black comedy written and directed by Richard Shepard.

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Hanway Films is hawking the project to buyers at the Marche du Film having partnered with BBC Films, the standalone broadcasting arm of the pubcaster, on the project which also stars Richard E. Grant.

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Law will play title character Dom Hemingway, billed as a larger-than-life safecracker with a loose fuse who is also funny, profane and dangerous.

Back on the streets of London after 12 years in prison, it’s time to collect what he’s owed for keeping his mouth shut.

The film will be produced by Oscar-winning producer Jeremy Thomas’ Recorded Picture Company, and starts filming in the fall of 2012.

Thomas said: "I so enjoyed Richard Shepard’s film The Matador, and when I read this script and thought of the film, I was excited. Richard has a special gift between comedy and drama, and we have wonderful actors to inhabit the film."

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BBC Films chief Christine Langan said: "The wicked humor and great energy of Richard’s script and a superb cast make this a wildly entertaining prospect and we’re very excited to be on board.”

Shepard said: "It's crazy how many of Jeremy Thomas' films I actually owned on DVD before ever meeting him: From Sexy Beast to Stealing Beauty to A Dangerous Method. He's clearly got great taste in story, a wicked sense of humor and keen insights in what makes a film unique and memorable."

Shepard is repped by Jerome Duboz at WME and Rosalie Swedlin at Anonymous Content.