Taika Waititi and Mia Wasikowska are set to star in the Sky Original film based on David Walliams’ bestselling children’s book, Fing.
Penelope Wilton (Downton Abbey), Walliams (Little Britain), Richard Roxburgh (Elvis), Robyn Nevin (Sting) and Blake Harrison (The Inbetweeners) will also star alongside newcomer Iona Bell.
The fantastical feature film, co-written by Walliams and Kevin Cecil (Veep) and directed by Jeffrey Walker (The Artful Dodger), has begun principal filming at Queensland Studios in Brisbane, Australia, secured through Screen Queensland’s Production Attraction Strategy.
The story follows librarians Mr. and Mrs. Meek, (Harrison and Wasikowska) who will do anything to keep their darling daughter, Myrtle (Bell), happy. But it’s not enough for Myrtle who always wants more. When Myrtle declares she wants a Fing, her parents have no choice but to track one down, taking them to the furthest and darkest corners of the jungle. Fing turns out to be as much as a destructive monster as Myrtle, who in turn, must battle it out with the evil animal park owner, The Viscount (Waititi), determined to own this rarest of creatures.
The film is a co-production between U.K.-based King Bert Productions and Queensland-based Story Bridge Films. Sky has developed and co-financed the film, alongside co-financiers STAN and AGC Studios, who are also handling worldwide sales
Transmission Films will release theatrically in Australia and New Zealand, with Stan premiering as a Stan Original on SVOD. Executive producers are Julia Stuart and Andrew Orr for Sky, alongside Walliams and Shana Levine.
Author Walliams, who has sold over 60 million copies of his books in 55 languages, sold and published Fing in 2019. Waititi said: “When I read the script, I instantly felt David’s unique and quirky wit jump off the page. There’s a dark humour and edge to FING! and I’m excited to bring the eccentric Viscount to the screen.”