Russell Brand and Paula Patton have joined Oscar-winner Michael Caine and The Crown star Matthew Goode in family adventure film Four Kids And It.
Shoot is under way in Ireland on the feature which is directed by Andy De Emmony (West Is West) and follows four children who are horrified to learn that their beach holiday is in fact a bonding trip with their potential future step siblings engineered by new couple Alice (Patton) and David (Goode). During an argument, the kids accidently find a Psammead, a magical, sandy, grumpy creature called It (voiced by Caine) who can grant them one wish a day.
Brand plays the local oddball villain Tristan bent on capturing the Psammead for his own gain. The children at the center of the family adventure are played by Ashley Aufderheide (Infinitely Polar Bear) and Teddie Malleson-Allen (Swallows And Amazons) alongside Billy Jenkins (The Crown) and newcomer Ellie-Mae Siame who play their younger siblings.
Principal photography began on July 16th on location in Ireland. Produced by Dan Films’ Julie Baines and Kindle Entertainment’s Anne Brogan, the screenplay is written by Simon Lewis adapted from the novel Four Children and It by best-selling author Jacqueline Wilson. Additional writing is provided by Mark Oswin.
Jwanwat Ahriyavraromp serves as executive producer on the film. 13 Films’ Tannaz Anisi and Gregory R. Schenz also serve as executive producers alongside Geraldine East. Paul Donovan of the Irish production company Deadpan Pictures and Dan Films’ Jonathan Taylor serve as co-producers.
The film is being fully financed by Dr. Jwanwat Ahriyavraromp of T&B Media Global. 13 Films is handling worldwide distribution rights.
The It character is designed by creature creators Brian and Wendy Froud. The former is the conceptual character designer for Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth and the latter is the original creator of Star Wars’ Yoda. The digitally created Psammead used in the film is being built by creature effects company MILK, the company behind the Oscar-winning effects in Ex Machina. The below-the-line production team also includes editor Alex Mackie (The Crown) and DoP John Pardue (Finding Your Feet).
Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him To The Greek star Brand will next be seen in the upcoming season of HBO series Ballers opposite Dwayne Johnson. The comedian’s most recent live show, Re:Birth, will be released on Netflix later this year. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol and Warcraft actress Patton starred last year in ABC TV drama Somewhere Between.
Russell Brand & Paula Patton Join Michael Caine & Matthew Goode In Family Pic ‘Four Kids And It’