LONDON — There’s nothing like a little sex, drugs and rock and roll to sell a movie.
A host of Brit acting talent has boarded helmer Mat Whitecross’ biopic of punk legend Ian Dury.
Naomie Harris, Ray Winstone, Olivia Williams, Noel Clarke, Toby Jones, MacKenzie Crook and Bill Milner have all signed on to star in “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll” opposite Andy Serkis, who plays the polio-afflicted frontman.
Arthur Darvill, James Jagger, Tom Hughes, Shakraj Soornack, Clifford Samuel and Joe Kennedy are also on board to play Dury’s band members the Blockheads.
Damian Jones is producing and Paul Viragh has written the script.
Principal photography begins May 3 in London.
Pic’s coin has come from Prescience, Aegis, the U.K. Film Council and Lip Sync. Odyssey Entertainment is handling worldwide sales on the project, which has already been picked up for the U.K. by Entertainment Film Distributors.
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Dury, who was a key figure in the punk movement of the 1970s, enjoyed chart success with songs such as “Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick.”
Next year marks the 10th anniversary of Dury’s death from cancer.
