Here’s another movie set for sale on the Croisette at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. Deadline reports that Carey Mulligan, Tom Basden and Tim Key will star in “One For The Money,” an island-set comedy about a billionaire who hires his favorite musical act for a private show. Bankside Films has sales ready for the international distribution ahead of the festival, with Steve Coogan‘s Baby Cow also part of the film’s production team.
Here’s a brief plotline for “One For The Money” that Deadline drew up:
The film will chart the story of an eccentric lottery winner, Charles, who lives alone on a remote island but attempts to turn his dreams into reality by hiring his favourite musician, Herb McGwyer, to play an exclusive, private gig. Unbeknownst to Herb, Charles has also hired Herb’s ex-band mate and ex-girlfriend, Nell, with her new husband in tow, to perform the old favourites. As tempers flare and old tensions resurface, the stormy weather traps them all on the island and Charles desperately looks for a way to salvage his dream gig.
“One For The Money” updates the BAFTA-nominated short film “The One And Only Herb McGwyer Plays Wallis Island” that Basden made with Key and director James Griffiths. As with that one, Basden pens the script here, and Griffiths will direct. Key and Basden will reprise their roles from the short for the upcoming film, which will start shooting this summer.
As mentioned earlier, Coogan’s Baby Cow is part of the film’s production team, with Rupert Majendie serving as lead producer under that banner. Majendie is coming off of producing the festival hit “Brian And Charles,” which premiered at Sundance in 2022; Bankside sold it to Focus Features for international distribution.
“One For The Money” serves as a culmination of fifteen years working together for Key and Basden. After they made the short this movie is based on, Basden and Key continued to collaborate on each other’s work, including the BB4 sketch show “Cowards,” while also charting their separate courses. Basden wrote episodes of “Peep Show” and “Fresh Meet,” and also created both British TV favorites “Plebs” and “Pandemonium.” He also plays Ricky Gervais‘ brother-in-law in “After Life.” Meanwhile, Key won The Edinburgh Comedy Award for his poetry stand-up, and has starred as the sidekick Simon to Coogan’s Alan Patridge appearances for over a decade. “One For The Money” will be their first feature together.
As for Mulligan, she’s fresh off of “She Said,” but has a slew of films coming up, including “Spaceman,” “Maestro,” and voice work in “Wildwood.” She also stars in the upcoming thriller “Saltburn” with Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan.
With “One For The Money” heading into production this summer, expect it out sometime next year. Maybe Summer 2024?