Acclaimed British theatre director Dominic Cooke, known for the recent stage spin-off "Game of Thrones: The Mad King," will direct his first movie since the 2020 spy thriller "The Courier."
Cornerstone has acquired worldwide sales rights to "John Daniel," a drama based on a real friendship between an independent Englishwoman and a baby gorilla after World War I. The screenplay, written by Alexi Kaye Campbell ("Woman in Gold"), draws on home-movie footage and photographs taken in Uley, Gloucestershire between 1918 and 1922.
The film, a Genesius Pictures production with Edward Film Company and BAFTA-nominee Debbie Gray as producer, is in pre-production and plans to start principal photography in the United Kingdom in mid-2027. Motion-capture and visual effects, provided by Axio World under Loris Mantello and Maoris Creantor, will create a photorealistic gorilla.
Set in 1918 in the Cotswolds village of Uley, still raw from World War II losses, the story follows Alyce Cunningham, a solitary woman who reluctantly takes in a rescued baby gorilla named John Daniel. The animal soon becomes part of village life, bringing joy to the grieving community, while fear threatens his stay and forces Alyce to protect him.
Producer Debbie Gray said, "The moment I read this beautiful script by Alexi, I knew I wanted to be part of it. It's an extraordinary true story about a gorilla, but at its heart it's a story of love, hope and human connection in the aftermath of war."
Cooke added, "I am delighted to be attached to direct John Daniel - a beautiful, funny and profound story. Alexi's script gets to the heart of the strange, necessary bonds between humans and animals."
"John Daniel" is Cooke's third feature after "The Courier" and his 2017 debut "On Chesil Beach."
Cooke is represented by UTA and Casarotto Ramsay & Associates.
