Netflix has acquired global rights to Jadotville, which is being toplined by The Fall and Fifty Shades Of Grey star Jamie Dornan, after agreeing a deal for the Pat Quinlan feature film at the Berlin Film Festival.
Jadotville depicts the 1961 siege of a 150-strong Irish UN battalion under Commander Patrick Quinlan (Dornan) by 3000 Congolese troops led by French and Belgian mercenaries working for mining companies. Guillaume Canet also stars as a French commander who sought to defeat Quinlan and his men.
The film is being penned by Kevin Brodbin (Constantine) and is being helmed by Richie Smyth. Parallel Films is producing, with filming set to commence in Ireland and South Africa this April. Jadotville will be roll-out globally across Netflix in 2016.
Netflix’s deal for Jadotville comes at a time when they themselves are making a move into feature films. It is understood that the streaming giant went after the rights to the project based largely on the rising star of lead actor Jamie Dornan, who stars in The Fall – which airs exclusively on Netflix in the US – and Fifty Shades Of Grey, which recently opened to a record breaking box office weekend of just under $82 million.
“The story of how Pat Quinlan led his troops against an overwhelming force without losing a single man is one of the great stories of the 20th century, and we are proud to be working with such a talented and committed team to bring it to life,” said Netflix’s Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos. “This film will be an amazing addition to our global original films initiative.”
“As filmmakers, we are constantly looking for new ways to bring a movie to the largest possible audience”, added Parallel Films’ Alan Moloney. “Netflix has already reinvented the TV market and is now moving front and centre into the film business. We are proud and excited to be part of their story and innovation.”
