Ella Purnell (Fallout, Sweetpea, Yellowjackets) joins previously announced Nicholas Galitzine (The Idea of You, Mary & George) in The Return of Stanley Atwell, a seductive new thriller from BAFTA- and Golden Globe-winning,Academy Award®-nominated producer of Hamnet Hera Pictures and co-produced with John Gore Studios.
Written and directed by Brian Welsh (Beats, Black Mirror), The Return of Stanley Atwell is based on an original story by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Steven Soderbergh, who also serves as executive producer. The film marks Welsh’s second collaboration with Soderbergh following their debut Beats, and his second collaboration with Liza Marshall and Hera Pictures after the acclaimed BBC drama What It Feels Like for a Girl.
Stanley Atwell (Galitzine), the presumed dead son and heir to Lord Atwell’s title and fortune, unexpectedly returns to the family estate having escaped a decade of mysterious captivity. Atwell’s shocking reappearance causes chaos as he finds his sister Beatrice fighting to claim his inheritance, whilst close friend Pamela (Purnell) manipulates his puzzling return, and a dark family secret, in a bid to seize control of the Atwell fortune. Sex, passion, backstabbing and betrayal wreak havoc across the estate as the lies and deception the Atwell name has been built upon start to unravel. How far is each family member willing to go to protect their own wealth and status… and what is really behind the return of Stanley Atwell?
John Gore, Producer and Founder of John Gore Studios said, “Ella Purnell brings a magnetic screen presence, remarkable emotional nuance, and an instinct for making complex characters feel utterly authentic. We are thrilled to have her onboard. We’re also delighted to be collaborating with Hera Pictures and Brian Welsh on such a bold and provocative story.”
Brian Welsh, Writer and Director said, “Ella has an incredible ability to move between vulnerability, humour and danger. She’s a wonderfully versatile actor and I’m thrilled to have her joining Nicholas in The Return of Stanley Atwell. It’s a brilliant combination and I look forward to seeing Ella make the role her own.”
Liza Marshall, Producer and Founder of Hera Pictures said, “Ella is a remarkable talent whose performances are consistently both mercurial and deeply affecting. We’re thrilled she’s leading the film alongside Nicholas and can’t wait to see her bring Pamela to life.”
The film is produced by Liza Marshall for Hera Pictures and John Gore for John Gore Studios.
Academy Award® winning filmmaker Steven Soderbergh serves as Executive Producer with Hilary Strong and Francis Hopkinson executive producing for John Gore Studios, alongside Protagonist Pictures. The film is produced by Hera Pictures,co-produced and equity financed by John Gore Studios (The Duchess & I, The Queen of Fashion). Protagonist Pictures will handle international sales and WME Independent are co-repping US rights.
Filming is soon to begin in the UK and Malta.
Ella Purnell can currently be seen starring season 2 of Fallout on Amazon Prime Video. Upcoming, she will reprise her role in season 2 of the Sky and Starz series Sweetpea, for which she also serves as an executive producer. She will also appear in the British comedy horror film The Scurry alongside Paapa Essiedu. Recently, Purnell was cast in the film That Time We Met, to be directed by Nick Lieberman (Theater Camp).
Purnell is repped by WME, Range Media Partners, Curtis Brown Group. Shelter PR and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.