Irish 'Bloodsucking Aliens' Movie Underway

Principal photography is underway in Belfast and in Co Donegal on an irreverent Irish comedy horror Grabbers, directed by Jon Wright from an original screenplay by Kevin Lehane.

Scores of extras have found work alongside stars such as Richard Coyle (Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Madonna's W.E, Terry Pratchett's Going Postal), Ruth Bradley (Flyboys) and Russell Tovey (The History Boys, Being Human) head the cast. Director Jon Wright re-teams with producers Tracy Brimm and Kate Myers of Forward Films following their collaboration on 2009 teen horror Tormented (released in the UK by Pathé Warners). International sales are being handled by The Salt Company and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has acquired UK rights to the project which provides a comic twist on the classic suburban monster horror, as a sleepy Irish fishing village is forced to fend off a blood-sucking sea creature with an unlikely weapon...alcohol.

Screenwriter Kevin Lehane captures the idyll and charm of a rural Irish fishing village and injects a truly Irish twist as the peace of the enchanting Erin Island community is shattered by an invasion of giant squid-like creatures from the sea, known as 'grabbers', who start picking off the villagers.

Ruggedly handsome but washed-up local policeman O'Shea (Coyle) is forced to sober up and team up with uptight, teetotal policewoman Lisa (Bradley) to protect the island's population from the tentacled, fang-jawed, barb-tongued creatures.

A host of colourful characters join forces with O'Shea and Lisa, all played by a strong supporting cast which includes Bronagh Gallagher (Sherlock Holmes, Tamara Drewe, The Commitments) and Lalor Roddy (Hunger, Cherrybomb).

Producers Tracy Brimm and Kate Myers of Forward Films have partnered with Martina Niland and David Collins of Samson Films in Dublin, Eduardo Levy and James Martin of High Treason Productions in Los Angeles, Piers Tempest of The Salt Company and UK commissioning producer Bear Rock Films.

The Sony Pictures Home Entertainment deal for the UK was negotiated between Dave G. Bishop, Head of Acquisitions, Northern Europe, SPHE and James Norrie of The Salt Company. Jay Cohen of The Gersh Agency is co-representing North American rights, and brokered the High Treason Productions deal.

VFX company Nvizible have also partnered on the film and visual effects supervisor for the company is Paddy Eason, whose credits include The Golden Compass and Prince of Persia.

Also on board is renowned creature creator Shaune Harrison, whose credits include Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows 1 and 2 and Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.

Grabbers is a Bord Scannán na hÉireann/ Irish Film Board and UK Film Council presentation of a Forward Films production, in association with Samson Films and High Treason Productions with Limelight, Nvizible and The Salt Company.

Produced by Tracy Brimm and Kate Myers, Martina Niland, Piers Tempest, Eduardo Levy and James Martin, Executive Producers are David Collins, Paul Martin, David Martin, Cyril Mégret, Samantha Horley, Robert Bevan, Michael Henry, Chris Hunt, Joe MacCarthy and Mark Foligno. Grabbers is made with the support of Section 481, the Irish tax incentive for film and television.

Producers Tracy Brimm and Kate Myers are delighted to be re-teaming with director Jon Wright on this second feature film collaboration and commenting on the project said: "Kevin Lehane has fused the monster comedy of Tremors with the charm, characters and authenticity of Waking Ned to create a truly original and highly entertaining story."

Samantha Horley of The Salt Company added, "For once it was a script that lived up to the pitch, Grabbers is a pile of fun with a great team behind it, it was totally irresistible."

Tanya Seghatchian, Head of the UK Film Council's Film Fund said, "We leapt at Grabbers for its sheer brio and playfulness with the genre coming from a very talented up and coming team of filmmakers".

Dave G. Bishop, Head of Acquisitions, Northern Europe, SPHE, commented: "Grabbers is such an exciting project, the script is one of the funniest I've read and with such amazing talent in front of and behind the camera, we're confident this will be a huge success for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment."

(BMcC)