Banijay U.K. to adapt Barbara Pym's 'Excellent Women.'

Banijay U.K. has announced a new partnership with producer Ellie Wood and her company, Clearwood Films. They plan to adapt Barbara Pym's 1953 novel "Excellent Women" as their first project. The deal gives Clearwood access to resources from Banijay U.K. for development and production. Clearwood will receive funding and support from Banijay U.K.'s finance and legal teams. If the project gets approved, Clearwood can collaborate with other Banijay companies to co-produce. This follows a previous deal between Banijay Rights and Clearwood Films that started in 2019. Banijay Rights will continue to distribute projects from Clearwood. Ellie Wood expressed her excitement about the collaboration. She looks forward to adapting Pym's work for television, aiming to create a “Pymverse” similar to Jilly Cooper's “Cooperverse.” Wood hopes to share Pym's unique stories of humor and unfulfilled love with both fans and new audiences. Clearwood Films has other projects in the pipeline. One is a single scripted project for a linear broadcaster, and Wood is also producing an adaptation of Deborah Levy’s novel “Hot Milk.” This film recently premiered at the Berlinale. Additionally, a political drama about Liz Truss's short premiership, titled “49 Days,” is in development with backing from Banijay. Ellie Wood is known for her work on films like “The Dig” and the series “Stonehouse.” Both productions received critical acclaim and showcased her talent in creating high-quality drama.