Adrien Brody banks on Mr Toad

Adrien Brody is newly attached to star in and produce a biopic of Kenneth Grahame, the creator of renowned children’s tale Wind in the Willows.

Long-gestating biopic Banking on Mr Toad will chart Grahame’s relationship with his wife Elspeth and young son Alastair - who was plagued by a number of health problems - and the birth of his iconic, best-selling fiction The Wind in the Willows, which he wrote while holding the position of secretary at the Bank of England.

UK actor Brian Blessed (Flash Gordon) is attached to play Grahame’s best friend, the colourful William Furnivall.

Brody said of the role: “I was moved to tears by this compelling tale of a father’s love for his child, and how the obstacles in life sometimes provide the spark of creativity to conquer them. This beautiful script has the power to remind us of our humanity and speaks to children and adults alike.”

As previously announced, Luis Mandoki, Mexican director of Innocent Voices, Trapped and Angel Eyes, will direct from a screenplay by Timothy W Haas of Haas Silver Levene, who is also producing alongside Richard Hewitt, Sally French, Sharon Lark, Tony Silver and Rob-Green.

Celestia Fox (The Pianist) is attached to cast the film and Bank of England Museum curator John Keyworth is an advisor on the production.

According to production, shoot is due to get underway on location in the UK at the end of 2013.

Haas told ScreenDaily that the project is largely financed with some backing from “south east Asia” and “studio level interest” in the film, but no sales company as yet attached.

Banking on Mr Toad, which has had various cast attached during its ten-year gestation, had originally been due to shoot in Ireland but fell apart due to the Irish financial crisis.

The film forms part of Haas’ Real Story slate, which also includes The Inside Out Man, which has director Anand Tucker attached, and The Hunt for Sister Edith, which has director Nadia Tass on board.