Scottish actor Brian Cox, widely known for playing Logan Roy on HBO’s ‘Succession’, is making his film directorial debut with ‘Glenrothan’.
As per Variety, the project is being co-developed by Lionsgate and London-based ‘Keeping Faith’ producer Nevision. The Emmy-winning actor will also star in the film, which is billed as a “love letter to Scotland”. The project marks the second time Cox is going behind the camera. He previously donned the director’s hat for an episode of the HBO series ‘Oz’ in 2000.
‘Glenrothan’ will be set in a distillery town in the Scottish Highlands. It will tell the story of two estranged brothers reuniting in the land of their birth. The last time they spoke was on the day of their mother’s funeral when, following a violent exchange with their father, the younger of the two left their Highland home for America. Forty years later, the brothers finally reunite, back on Scottish soil and in the village that houses the family business — the Glenrothan Distillery.
The film’s setting is probably inspired by Scotland’s Glenrothes distillery, which was founded in 1879 and is best known for its single malt Scotch whiskey.
Speaking about the upcoming project, Cox said, “‘Glenrothan’ is my homage to the elements that make Scotland such an extraordinary country, where vibrancy and majesty of the land is expressed through passion and desire — balanced by the Scot’s deep-rooted humour and grasp of the absurd.”
“I want to make a film which combines all the elements, to show my own deep love for the homeland,” he added.
The project was created by acclaimed Scottish actor and writer David Ashton and co-written with award-winning screenwriter Jeff Murphy. Lionsgate UK head of development and acquisitions Emma Berkofsky is developing the film with Nevision creative director for scripted Neil Zeiger, who will also produce.
Nevision’s James Cabourne will executive produce.
Much like his ‘Succession’ character Logan Roy, Cox was also born in Dundee, Scotland. He won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of the cantankerous family patriarch and media baron in 2020.
The veteran actor has appeared regularly in film and television since 1965. His feature film debut was 1971’s ‘Nicholas and Alexandra’ and he played Dr Hannibal Lecktor in 1986’s ‘Manhunter’.
He shot to fame in the mid-1990s thanks to roles in ‘Rob Roy’ and ‘Braveheart’, and his film credits include ‘The Bourne Identity’ (2002), ‘The Ring’ (2002), ‘X-Men 2’ (2003), ‘Troy’ (2004), ‘The Bourne Supremacy’ (2004), ‘Zodiac’ (2007), ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ (2011) and ‘Churchill’ (2017).
In television, Cox won an Emmy Award and received a Golden Globe nomination in 2001 for his portrayal of Hermann Goring in ‘Nuremberg’ and he received a further Emmy nomination in 2002 for his guest role on ‘Frasier’.
The actor’s other TV credits include the BBC’s ‘War & Peace’ and ‘The Negotiator,’ NBC’s ‘The Slap’ and HBO’s ‘Deadwood’.
