News

Peter Morgan Returning to Tony Blair Territory

Playwright/screenwriter Peter Morgan, fresh off the critical success of Golden Globe-nominated Frost/Nixon, is returning to Tony Blair territory for his directorial debut. Morgan, who wrote both the British telefilm The Deal, which focused on Blair's rise to power and the road to his Prime Ministership, and was nominated for Best Original Screenplay for writing big screen drama The Queen, which examined Blair's role as the go-between of the monarch and the rest of England, will complete the Blair trilogy with The Special Relationship. Michael Sheen, who played Blair in both The Deal and The Queen, as well as David Frost in Frost/Nixon, will reprise his role as Blair in the third film.

The Special Relationship will center on the connection between Blair and former American president Bill Clinton from 1997 through 2000. Morgan originally planned to spotlight Blair's relationships with both Clinton and George W. Bush, but he instead chose to narrow the focus to the late Clinton years. Morgan spent last summer in both Washington, D.C. and Little Rock, Arkansas researching for the script.

It has yet to be determined which studio Morgan will set the film up through.

—The ARTISTdirect Staff
12.23.08