Johnson's Hyena sells to UK, France

Independent has pre-sold writer-director Gerard Johnson’s Number 9 thriller Hyena to Metrodome for the UK and Wild Side for France.

Peter Ferdinando (Tony), Neil Maskell (Kill List) and Arta Dobroshi (Lorna’s Silence) will star in Johnson’s follow up to debut Tony, which is due to get underway in June.

Hyena follows a corrupt London police officer whose already chaotic world is unsettled by an influx of brutal Albanian gangsters.

Producers are Joanna Laurie, Stephen Woolley and Elizabeth Karlsen of Number 9 Films. Film4 developed and will partially finance.

Woolley said: “Hyena will be a glimpse into a side of London rarely seen, a shocking story of corruption and criminality, told in the same distinctive style that Gerard brought to his first film Tony.”

Giles Edwards of Metrodome commented: “Gerard Johnson is one the most fiercely talented filmmakers in the UK. Under the guidance of Stephen Woolley and Number 9, Hyena is going to be a stunning blend of impeccable craft, intense performance and vibrant storytelling. We’re utterly thrilled to working on it.”

Tessa Ross, controller of Film and Drama at Channel 4, stated: “Gerard’s very impressive debut Tony introduced him as an exciting new British filmmaking voice, so we’re thrilled to be working with him on his second feature – an urgent contemporary tale of corruption in London’s changing underworld.  We’re delighted that Wild Side are on board, and look forward to working with them alongside our friends at Number 9 and Independent.”