Banijay UK has agreed a development deal with Ellie Wood, the award-winning producer behind hits including Netflix’s BAFTA nominated film The Dig and Stonehouse for ITV/ Britbox, and her company Clearwood Films.
Under the terms of the deal, Clearwood Films will have access to funding in order to develop ideas and treatments as well as support from central Banijay UK resources including finance, legal and business affairs. Once greenlit, Clearwood has the option to partner with Banijay UK companies to co-produce.
This deal follows on from a first look deal between Banijay Rights and Clearwood Films which ran from 2019. Banijay Rights will continue to distribute Clearwood projects.
The first development project under the terms of the deal is the acquisition of the rights to Barbara Pym’s Excellent Women, with the option to develop further Pym novels. Often compared with Jane Austen, Pym is regarded as one of the greatest British novelists of the 20th century, with figures such as Jilly Cooper, Anne Tyler and Richard Osmond citing her as their favourite author.
Patrick Holland, CEO of Banijay UK said:
“Ellie is a brilliant producer with an established reputation for creating standout, high quality drama. Banijay Rights have had a successful first look deal in place with Clearwood, working with Ellie on projects including Stonehouse, and we are delighted to be backing her vision.”
Ellie Wood said of the deal;
“I’m thrilled to be working with Patrick and continuing Clearwood Films’ partnership with the wider Banijay family. I’m particularly excited to be developing the novels of one of my favourite authors, the inimitable Barbara Pym. Just as Jilly Cooper’s Rivals gave us a ‘Cooperverse’, I look forward to creating a ‘Pymverse’ and bringing this iconic author’s uniquely British tales of comic observation and unrequited love not only to her legions of fans but also to a wider TV audience.”
Upcoming Clearwood Films projects include an as-yet unannounced single scripted project for a linear broadcaster while Ellie is Executive Producer on Film4‘s adaptation of Deborah Levy’s novel Hot Milk, starring Emma Mackey, Fiona Shaw and Vicky Krieps, which recently premiered at the Berlin Arle Film Festival and is released in the UK in May. Meanwhile, 49 Days, a political drama by acclaimed writer John Preston, based on the tumultuous short-lived premiership of Liz Truss, backed by Banijay is also in development.
Ellie previously produced the multiple BAFTA nominated Netflix film The Dig, starring Carey Mulligan, Ralph Fiennes, Lily James and Johnny Flynn. In 2023, she produced Stonehouse, starring Matthew MacFadyen and Keeley Hawes, for ITV/Britbox.