Baby Cow, the production company created by Steve Coogan and Henry Normal, is to produce an adaptation of Zadie Smith’s latest novel.
Swing Time, which was published earlier this week, is the story of two aspiring dancers, and has won formidable reviews. Smith will write the screenplay herself with her husband, the poet Nick Laird.
It’s the first major announcement since Baby Cow poached BBC Films head Christine Langan to serve as CEO in July. Langan said: “Zadie Smith is the voice of a generation and Swing Time is a thrillingly ambitious story of friendship, rivalry and fame. We’re delighted and honoured at Baby Cow to be developing such a unique project, and we can’t wait to share it with TV audiences everywhere.”
It is not yet known whether the final product will be a one-off feature or a mini-series. No casting or director has yet been announced.
Until now, Baby Cow’s filmography has largely comprised of movies featuring Coogan, most notably the Oscar-winning Philomena, which was part funded by BBC Films. But it was also behind projects such as Ben Wheatley’s debut, Down Terrace, and Snow Cake, starring Alan Rickman and Sigourney Weaver.
