Fox Searchlight Gets North American Rights to “The Personal History of David Copperfield”

Fox Searchlight has acquired the North American rights to The Personal History of David Copperfield, a film set to be featured at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 5, and the BFI London Film Festival on October 2, according to Deadline.

  • The Personal History of David Copperfield is directed by Armando Iannucci, who also serves as a producer alongside Kevin Loader.
  • Executive producers include Daniel Battsek, Ollie Madden, Simon Blackwell, Ben Browning, Glen Basner, Christos V. Konstantakopoulos.
  • The film follows “a good-hearted young man whose rogue spirit carries him through a colorful life of poverty and opulence. A burgeoning young writer’s life is followed from orphaned infancy to adulthood as he befriends a collection of eccentric characters on a journey of love, acceptance and self-discovery in Victorian England.”
  • Dev Patel stars in the film as Copperfield while the rest of the cast includes:
    • Tilda Swinton
    • Hugh Laurie
    • Peter Capaldi
    • Ben Whishaw
    • Paul Whitehouse
    • Aneurin Barnard
    • Daisy May Cooper
    • Morfydd Clark
    • Benedict Wong
    • Gwendoline Christie
    • Anthony Welsh
    • Rosalind Eleazar
  • Fox Searchlight plans to release the film in 2020.

What they’re saying:

  • Fox Searchlight Chairmen Nancy Utley and Steve Gilula: “Armando Iannucci is a wonderfully original filmmaker and expert storyteller; he brings his irreverent and imaginative take to this iconic and beloved story. As for Dev, he has consistently impressed since his unforgettable breakout roles in Slumdog Millionaire and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. With his warmth, humor and diversity of roles throughout his career, it is particularly rewarding to see him lead such a spectacular ensemble in this film.”
  • Iannucci and Loader: “We are so pleased that Fox Searchlight’s early enthusiasm for this movie has paid off, and we’re excited by their plans to bring it to as wide an audience as possible in North America. We’re all proud of this film, and with Fox Searchlight, we have the right fit: we can’t wait to get started.”