Emily Watson Cast in Lead of British Drama John Daniel
Emily Watson has been cast in the lead role of John Daniel, a British drama directed by Dominic Cooke, Deadline reported on Monday 9 November 2026.
She will play Alyce Cunningham, a fiercely independent English woman. In the aftermath of the First World War, Alyce forms an unlikely friendship with a baby gorilla.
The film is based on a true story. It was inspired by home movie footage and photographs that residents of Uley, Gloucestershire, recorded between 1918 and 1922. The screenplay is by Alexi Kaye Campbell.
The project is a Genesius Pictures production in association with Edward Film Company. Debbie Gray is producing. The film is now in pre-production, the planning stage where schedules, locations and crew are set before filming starts. Principal photography, the main shoot, is scheduled to begin in the UK in mid-2027.
Because the gorilla is a central character, the film will combine motion capture with visual effects. Motion capture records a performer's movements and uses them to animate a digital character. Visual effects for John Daniel will be produced by Axio World, led by Loris Mantello and Maoris Creantor.
For audiences, the project pairs a period story rooted in real local footage with a leading actor and a digital animal. Casting and production dates are the first public details, so the film's look and release timing are still to be announced.
