Beloved Irish play to get star-studded movie adaptation

Fantastic news.

Filming has commenced on the project, which retains the cast members from the play's recent, critically acclaimed stage revival.

These are Brendan Gleeson (The Guard), Kate Phillips (Peaky Blinders), Owen McDonnell (Killing Eve), Seán McGinley (That They May Face the Rising Sun) and recent JOE interviewee Tom Vaughan-Lawlor (These Sacred Vows), with McPherson (The Eclipse) himself on directing duties.

Set in a remote pub in rural Ireland, the play follows four local men - Brendan, Finbar, Jack and Jim - who gather for their nightly pints.

Their routine is disrupted when Finbar introduces Valerie, a newcomer from Dublin. To impress her, the men trade eerie local folklore and ghost stories.

The mood shifts profoundly, however, when Valerie reveals the tragic, personal reason for her arrival.

"Far from a simple thriller, the play is a tender, intimate exploration of deep-seated loneliness, the comfort of shared storytelling, and the delicate human need for connection amidst the isolation of the countryside," distribution company Break Out Pictures said in a statement.

The Weir was first produced in 1997, winning the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play that year.

It was later voted one of the 100 most significant plays of the 20th century in a poll conducted by the Royal National Theatre, London.

The recent stage production, which came to Dublin's 3Olympia last year, has been nominated for multiple awards, including Best Actor for Brendan Gleeson at both the Critics’ Circle and The Standard Theatre Awards.

It has also earned nominations for Best Revival of a Play, Kate Phillips for Best Newcomer, and the entire cast for Best Ensemble at the Critics’ Circle Awards.