Bonded by Blood sequel readies

Filming commences this month on the sequel to 2010 UK home entertainment success Bonded By Blood.

Based on the crime book Essex Boys: The New Generation by Bernard O’Mahoney, the film focuses on the Essex crime scene after the gangland murders of Pat Tate, Tony Tucker and Craig Rolfe in 1995.

The screenplay is written by Simon Cluett (Age of Kill). Greg Hall (Dangerous Mind of a Hooligan) is directing.

Cast includes George Russo (Turnout), Josh Myers (Green Street 3), Sam Strike (who plays Johnny Carter in TV soap Eastenders), Martin Delaney, Mark Harris (Anuvahood), Dani Dyer (Vendetta) and newcomers Ross Harland and Naomi Willow.

Chris Ellison (We Still Kill The Old Way), Johnny Palmiero (Age of Kill), Rebecca Ferdinando (White Collar Hooligan) and Terry Stone (Doghouse) reprise their roles from the original film. More cast is due to sign up soon.

Neil Jones and Jonathan Sothcott are producing for Richwater Films. UK rights have been acquired by Anchor Bay.

Sothcott told Screen: “This project has been a long time coming together but I am delighted to have acquired the rights to Bernie’s book and to have done a deal with Terry Stone at Gateway Films to allow us to follow up on what I thought was a terrific movie.

“I think brands and franchises have an increasing value in the UK home entertainment sector and I think we’ve got one of the best.”