While we're not getting another instalment of Happy Valley, one of the show's stars and the acclaimed series creator are collaborating on a brand new movie.

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That's right – James Norton and Sally Wainwright are reuniting for Wainwright's first ever feature film.

In a new interview with Deadline about his TV and film production company Rabbit Track Pictures (which he runs with Kitty Kaletsky), Norton revealed their plans for the future and said: “One thing we say to every writer who comes into the room is, ‘We don’t want you to feel like you get lost.’

"I think that’s one of the reasons why we successfully pulled some of those projects out of the bag, because we were able to guarantee people our attention and that Kitty and I would be over it.”

In terms of things that are on the horizon, Norton revealed: “We’ve just brought Jack Thorne onto a project, and it’s really exciting. We have the Sally Wainwright project, which is in the works. We’re stepping up.”

Sally Wainwright stood in front of a board with the BBC and iPlayer logos on it, smiling at the camera
Sally Wainwright. David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images

While nothing has yet been revealed about the upcoming project with Wainwright, the writer, producer and director has been known for her various TV work. So, this being her first movie is undoubtedly exciting news but as to what it's going to be about, we'll just have to wait and see.

Aside from Happy Valley, Wainwright is of course known for her work on Last Tango in Halifax, Gentleman Jack and more recently, Renegade Nell. Wainwright is also currently working on comedy series Riot Women, which follows a group of menopausal women who form a punk rock band.

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Rabbit Track Pictures' next upcoming project is Playing Nice, which is based on the JP Delaney novel of the same name and will air on ITV soon. Commissioned back in 2023, the series will star Norton as well as Niamh Algar (Mary and George), James McArdle (Sexy Beast) and Jessica Brown Findlay (The Flatshare).

Speaking about the series, Norton said: “It’s a psychological thriller, and more psychological than thriller. With our writer Grace Ofori-Attah and director Kate Hewitt, we all shared that desire to go as deep as we could with these four individuals and throw them in the middle of it and just see how they react.”

The synopsis for the series reads: "Set against a sweeping Cornish landscape, two couples discover that their toddlers were switched at birth in a hospital mix-up, and face a horrifying dilemma: do they keep the sons they have raised and loved, or reclaim their biological child?

"Living a waking nightmare, Pete (James Norton) and Maddie (Niamh Algar) are jettisoned into the world of the other couple; Miles (James McArdle) and Lucy (Jessica Brown Findlay). At first it seems all four are agreed on a solution, but it soon becomes clear that hidden motives are at play.

"How far can each couple trust the real parents of their child – or even each other? As Pete and Maddie are stretched to breaking point, they realise they will stop at nothing to keep their family together."

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Check out more of our Drama or Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

Authors

Morgan Cormack
Morgan CormackDrama Writer

Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.

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