Budding actors have been auditioning for a role in a new film about the crime career of notorious hardman Stephen Sayers.
Filming for a A New Breed of Criminal is set to begin later this year.
And last week movie makers put wannabe stars through their paces at auditions in Newcastle.
The film's script was penned by local actor and writer Steve Wraith during lockdown and is based on the book Operation Sayers.
It follows the life and crimes of now reformed criminal Stephen, who will be played by Wraith.
Producer Neil Jackson has described the film as “the definitive British gangster film for the noughties generation”.
A spokesman for filmmakers, Lytton Bros Pictures, said: "It was great to finally spend a couple of days in Newcastle and start casting the film. We also took time to visit a few locations and catch up with Stephen himself. This is an exciting project and we are looking forward to helping bring it to life on the big screen."
Melly Barnes who appeared in Our Friends In The North, has been cast as Michael Sayers and Alfie Dobson will take on the role of John Henry Sayers.
Jayne Mackenzie has been cast as the brothers' mum Yvonne.
Aspiring actors can also guarantee themselves a supporting role in the film.
A page has been set-up on the crowdfunding site Indiegogo and people are being asked to back the film by making a donation, booking tickets for the premiere or pre-ordering a copy of the film.
But they can also pay to land themselves a part in the movie.
The Sayers brothers, from Elswick in Newcastle, earned a reputation as one of the North East’s most notorious underworld families in the 1990s.
But in 2015 Stephen revealed that he was turning his back on crime for the sake of his family.
His autobiography was published that year.
Read next:
- 'He's an animal': Ex girlfriend of killer Stephen Rice on how he convinced her he'd changed before horror attack
- 'I've not seen it in this country' - Jack Woodley's murder is first of its kind says crime expert
- 'It's disgusting': Mum's fury after hit and run drug driver who hurt her son walks free from court
- Going nowhere: Serial County Durham rapist Stephen Crawford denied parole
- 'It starts as a fairy tale but ends in a nightmare': Stalking victim's controlling partner ruined her life
