An adaptation of the novel “We Go Around in the Night and are Consumed by Fire” by “Loaded” producers Hillbilly Films and Television has attached its key creative team.
BAFTA-nominated helmer Georgi Banks-Davies (“I Hate Suzie”) is set to direct the limited drama series, while Clare McQuillan (“Impulse”) is writing. The film deal was brokered by Luke Speed of the Curtis Brown Group on behalf of Alexander Cochran of C&W Agency.
Inspired by graffiti found on an overpass in Manchester, Jules Grant’s debut novel is a queer love story and revenge thriller that provides a little-seen view of British gangland in Manchester, from a female perspective.
Banks-Davies most recently served as the lead director on Sky series “I Hate Suzie,” which is nominated for the best series BAFTA TV Award as well as an emerging talent (fiction) nod for the director. Her additional credits include short drama “Garfield,” which earned her a Grand Jury Prize nomination at the Sundance Film Festival.
Meanwhile, McQuillan will serve as lead writer on the drama development to adapt the novel, marking her debut as a lead writer on a major TV drama, having spent two years as a writing and development assistant to Oscar-winning director Steve McQueen, where she also spent six months in the writers’ room for his series “Codes of Conduct” for HBO, working under showrunner Semi Chellas (“Mad Men”).
McQuillan’s credits include “Impulse” (NBCU/YouTube Red), “The Old Town” (ITV/House Productions) and “Medusa” (Netflix/Blumhouse). In 2018, McQuillan was selected as one of BAFTA Elevate: Writers participants.
The drama development is led by Hillbilly bosses Polly Leys and Kate Norrish who will both executive produce the series.
Through Hillbilly, the duo has executive produced several films and dramas including the forthcoming BBC Film/BFI feature film “Pirates,” written and directed by Reggie Yates, which will release via PictureHouse later this year, along with BAFTA-winning single drama “Random” (Channel 4), BAFTA-nominated film “Second Coming,” comedy drama series “Loaded” (Channel 4/AMC), drama series “The Level” (ITV) and “Holy Flying Circus” for BBC Four.
Banks-Davies said: “This is a world and female characters I’ve never seen explored in this way before; dark, funny, edgy, real. I’m beyond excited to see it realized on the screen alongside this brilliant creative team.”
McQuillan added: “I am honored to be adapting Jules Grant’s beautiful, funny and sharp book. I fell in love with the brilliant women at the heart of this story, they provide so much humor, insight and unfiltered realism as our guides to the world of Manchester’s powerful gangs. At its heart, this is a queer love story which has much to say about grief, memory, chosen family and of course love. I’m so excited to be working with Kate, Polly and the team at Hillbilly, as well as the brilliant Georgi Banks-Davies to bring this story to life.”
Leys and Norrish said: “We knew this was the perfect book for us as we love authentic stories that take a sideways glance at the world. ‘We Go Around in the Night’ is that and more and we’re really excited to be working on it with such a brilliant duo as Georgi and Clare.”
“We Go Around in the Night and are Consumed by Fire” is published by Myriad Editions.
(Pictured, L-R: Georgi Banks-Davies, Claire McQuillan)