Matt Smith To Helm Adaptation Of Nick Cave Novel ‘The Death Of Bunny Munro’ For Sky

Max Goldbart
·2 min read

Matt Smith is to star in and EP a Sky adaptation of Nick Cave’s sophomore novel The Death of Bunny Munro.

Smith will play the titular role. Following his wife Libby’s suicide, the sex addict, door-to-door beauty product salesman and self-professed lothario finds himself saddled with a young son and only a loose concept of parenting. Together with nine-year-old Bunny Junior, he embarks on an epic and increasingly out-of-control road trip across south England as the two struggle to contain their grief in different ways.

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An adaptation of iconic singer Cave’s second novel, the project is being written by BAFTA-winning Somewhere Boy scribe Pete Jackson for End of The F***ing World indie Clerkenwell Films in association with Sky Studios. Cave will EP with former Doctor Who star Smith and numerous others. The Red Right Hand singer has written four books including, most recently, Faith, Hope and Carnage, which was forged from a series of phone conversations conducted between him and writer Sean O’Hagan during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“To work alongside Nick Cave feels like a great honor,” said Smith. “It’s a brilliant exploration of love, grief, and chaos. At its heart a deep, difficult, and tender story about a father and son, coping with loss and change.”

Commissioning Editor, Manpreet Dosanjh, is EP for Sky Studios. Petra Fried, Ed Macdonald and Emily Harrison do the same for Clerkenwell Films and Smith, Cave, Pete Jackson and director Isabella Eklöf (Industry) also serve as EPs. The Producer is Matthew Mulot (Ghosts).

The series will begin filming in Spring 2024 across the south of England and will be available on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW in the UK. NBCUniversal Global Distribution handle international sales of the series on behalf of Sky Studios.

Smith is repped by Maison Two, B-Side and UTA.

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