Berlin: Emma Thompson Joins ‘The Long Midnight of Barney Thomson’

Emma Thomson will star in The Long Midnight of Barney Thomson, a dark comedy-thriller that will act as actor Robert Carlyle‘s directorial debut.

Carlyle will also star as Barney Thomson in the film, which will also star Ray Winstone and Ewen Bremner.

Richard Cowan and Colin McLaren wrote the script, which is an adaption based on the popular series of novels by Douglas Lindsay.

Myriad Pictures, which is handling worldwide sales (excluding Canada and the UK), will introduce the film to international buyers at the upcoming EFM in Berlin.  

The story follows Barney, a Scottish barber who, through a series of accidental events, stumbles into the world of serial murder.

PHOTOS: 25 of the Most Anticipated Foreign Films of 2014

Thompson will play Barney’s mother, who emasculates him at every turn, while Winstone will play detective inspector Holdall, who has to deal with an inept homicide department while trying to solve the murders.

John G. Lenic (Motive, Marilyn) and Kaleena Kiff (Marilyn, Riese: Kingdom Falling) are producing via their Trinity Works Entertainment banner. Myriad’s president and CEO Kirk D’Amico will executive produce. 

Myriad’s Thomas Loftus, senior vp, business affairs and general counsel, negotiated worldwide sales rights to the film for Myriad Pictures, with Arthur Evrensel and John G. Lenic negotiating on behalf of the filmmakers.

Thompson, who starred in Saving Mr. Banks, will appear in Jason Reitman’s Men, Women & Children and thriller Survivor. She’s repped by WME and Hamilton Hodell in the U.K.

Winstone will next appear in Darren Aronofsky‘s Noah. He’s repped by Resolution and Creative Artists Management (CAM) in the U.K.

Bremner’s previous work includes Jack the Giant Slayer and Great Expectations. He’s repped by Global Artists Agency, Alchemy Entertainment and Independent Talent Group in the U.K.

Scottish actor Carlyle’s previous work includes Trainspotting, The Full Monty, The World Is Not Enough, Angela’s Ashes and 28 Weeks Later. He’s repped by Gersh, Authentic Talent and Literary Management and Hamilton Hodell in the U.K.