LONDON — U.K. indie distributor Revolver has corralled U.K., Irish and North American rights to Gerard Johnson’s debut feature “Tony,” the company said Wednesday.
The movie is produced by Dan McCulloch and executive produced by the feted British television screenwriter and producer Paul Abbott (“State of Play,” “Shameless”) through his development company AbbottVision.
The movie, billed as a darkly comic tale, features a performance from newcomer Peter Ferninando alongside a strong supporting cast of Ricky Grover, George Russo and Francis Pope.
It details the story of an oddball loner named Tony who harbors an unhealthy appetite for straight-to-video action films and spends his days looking for company. When the local thug’s son disappears, Tony’s quiet exterior is brought into question.
Backed by the U.K. Film Council’s New Cinema Fund and AbbottVision, the debut marks the first collaboration between the Council and Revolver and was set up to give Johnson a chance to shine.
“AbbottVision had no expectations of making this movie, beyond proving that Gerard Johnson is a major talent. The exercise worked way beyond our expectations,” said Abbott.
