Claire Foy & Brendan Gleeson To Star In ‘H Is For Hawk’ For Plan B & ‘Poor Things’ Backer Film4; Protagonist Launches EFM Buzz Pic

EXCLUSIVE: Two-time Emmy and Golden Globe winner Claire Foy (The Crown, All of Us Strangers) and Oscar nominee Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin, In Bruges) are set to star in H Is For Hawk for Plan B (12 Years a Slave, Moonlight) and Film4 (Poor Things, The Zone Of Interest).

Based on author Helen MacDonald’s well-received New York Times memoir of the same name, the film is to be directed by BAFTA winner Philippa Lowthorpe (The Crown), and written by Emma Donoghue (Room).

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The true story follows Helen (Foy) who, after losing her beloved father (Gleeson), finds herself saved by an unlikely friendship with a stubborn hawk named Mabel. Through the bond, Helen rediscovers the beauty of being alive.

Protagonist Pictures’ is launching worldwide sales on the buzzy package ahead of the EFM. Pic is being produced by Plan B and was developed with Film4 who will executive-produce and co-finance. Lena Headey and Tina Thor of Peephole Productions are also executive producers.

“H is for Hawk is a relatable, honest and life-affirming story about the truly universal themes of healing and rebuilding that are both fundamental to the human condition and that we all can relate to. Brought to life by this brilliant cast, we have no doubt that it will be one that will immediately form a bond with audiences around the world,” said Protagonist Pictures’ Chief Commercial Officer George Hamilton.

“Our friends at Plan B and Film4 have developed such an inspiring and moving film, and with Philippa’s exceptional talent at the helm, we can’t wait to introduce this beautiful story to all of our distribution partners.”

Added Plan B: “We are genuinely honored to be a part of bringing Helen’s incredible and deeply personal story to the screen. With the massively talented Claire and Brendan starring, and the hugely gifted Philippa behind the camera, we know Helen’s story is in very good hands.”

Foy, best known for her portrayal of young Queen Elizabeth in Netflix’s The Crown, for which she won two Emmys, as well as movies including First Man and Women Talking, was most recently BAFTA-nominated for Searchlight’s All of Us Strangers.

Oscar nominee Gleeson, well known for The Banshees of Inisherin, In Bruges, Harry Potter and Paddington 2, will next be seen in The Joker: Folie a Deux.

Upcoming for Plan B are Reinaldo Marcus Green’s Bob Marley: One Love for Paramount, Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Bong Joon-Ho’s Mickey 17 for Warner Brothers, Jon Watts’ Wolfs starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt and Joseph Kosinski’s Formula One racing film starring Pitt for Apple Studios and Sony Pictures.

Claire Foy is repped by UTA and Independent Talent Group. Brendan Gleeson is repped by Principal Entertainment and The Agency.

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