Corestar Media has acquired the dramatic rights to the story of Mavis Eccleston who was accused of murder after entering into a suicide pact with her terminally ill husband.
‘Goodnight Darling’ tells the story of the couple’s 60-year-old love affair and the agonising decision they both took to end their lives together when Dennis was in terrible pain from cancer.
It follows 79-year-old Mavis’s murder charge and trial, at which she was unanimously found not guilty, and her family’s campaign for a change in the law.
The project was brought to Corestar by Grantchester actor, Tom Brittney. He will be an Executive Producer on the project. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel author, Deborah Moggach, has written the script.
Tom Brittney, Executive Producer, said: “When I first met Mavis and her family, I was heartbroken at their horrific ordeal. I’m honoured that the Eccleston’s have allowed us to tell their story, and to share with a wider audience, in the hope that reform is brought about so that no one ever has to endure the pain that Mavis and their family faced”.
Joy Munns, daughter of Mavis and Dennis, said: “The Eccleston family are really happy to be working with Tom and the Corestar team on this drama. They have showed so much empathy with our cause and have really listened to all that we went through and how our mom was treated at 79 years of age.
“We hope ‘Goodnight Darling’ will bring awareness on how broken and barbaric our outdated law is and that it will instigate a change in law.’
Ross Murray, Executive Producer, said:”Corestar Media are very proud to be working closely with Tom and the Eccleston family to bring their incredibly moving story to screen. Such an emotive subject needs a delicate hand and we found just that in Deborah Moggach, who has told the Eccleston’s story with great sensitivity, empathy and love”.
Richard Hart, Managing Director of Corestar Media, said: “As a company we are very fortunate to be working on a number of fantastic projects with some amazing talent, all of which we are incredibly passionate about. However, ‘Goodnight Darling’ is something very special for us, it is one of those stories you feel absolutely compelled to tell. Having secured the funding for a script and working with Deborah Moggach, Corestar are now in talks with potential partners to help bring the Eccleston’s story to the screen.”
Jon Creamer
Share this story
