The Hollywood Reporter reported Friday that Mike Leigh, the director of Mr. Turner, will be making his next film about the Peterloo Massacre, a historical event that took place in 1819 in Britain. Leigh stated in a press release that, “There has never been a feature film about the Peterloo Massacre. Apart from the universal political significance of this historic event, the story has a particular personal resonance for me, as a native of Manchester and Salford.” The event itself resulted in the death of 15 people and injured over 700, so it’s no wonder that a filmmaker would want to bring this story to life.
Leigh’s recent success with Mr. Turner (which was reviewed on Sound on Sight), most notably at the Cannes Film Festival, solidifies him as a filmmaker who knows how to tell true stories. It’s no doubt that this next feature will do justice to the true events, and may explain why shooting won’t start until 2017.
No release date or casting has been announced yet, but Leigh will be re-teaming with cinematographer Dick Pope (who worked with him on Mr. Turner) and the film will be produced by Georgina Lowe.