![](\"https:\/\/photos1.blogger.com\/blogger\/7991\/933\/400\/wilberforce.jpg\")
The Guardian<\/a><\/i>, in its recent story on the \u201cstealth marketing\u201d of the upcoming Narnia<\/a> movie \u2014 whereby schoolchildren will receive promotional materials for the film in the guise of educational materials \u2014 passes on this interesting piece of news:<\/span><\/p>\n[Walden Media head honchos Cary] Granat and [Michael] Flaherty also had a meeting with deputy prime minister John Prescott, in relation to plans surrounding a biopic, planned for release at the end of 2006, of William Wilberforce (Prescott is, like Wilberforce, a Hull man); 2007 will see a large-scale British celebration of Wilberforce\u2019s achievements, in which Walden plans to be involved with \u201ca solid education programme\u201d, according to Flaherty.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Walden Media has been developing a project along these lines for some time; their web site includes an apparently out-of-date page<\/a> devoted to the film, which says the upcoming film, called Amazing Grace<\/a><\/i>, will be written by Colin Welland (Chariots of Fire<\/a><\/i>). But a story that appeared in Variety<\/a><\/i> just three months ago says the film will be directed by Michael Apted (Enigma<\/a><\/i>, The World Is Not Enough<\/a><\/i>, the Seven Up<\/a><\/i> series) from a screenplay by Steven Knight (Dirty Pretty Things<\/a><\/i>). The eclectic list of producers currently includes Terrence Malick (The Thin Red Line<\/a><\/i>), Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond<\/a><\/i>) and Ken Wales (Christy<\/a><\/i>).<\/p>\n
And for those who don\u2019t know what Wilberforce\u2019s achievements were<\/i>, the Walden page sums them up thusly:<\/p>\n
Amazing Grace<\/i> is based on the true story of William Wilberforce, a British statesman and reformer from the early part of the 19th century. This feature film will chronicle his extraordinary contributions to the world, primarily his 20-year fight to abolish the British slave trade, which he won in 1807. He was also instrumental in passing legislation to abolish slavery in the British colonies, a victory he won just three days from his death in 1833.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Could be interesting, not least because it could be the first Walden movie that is not<\/i> based on a story from another medium.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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