Doctor Jekyll: Hammer Studios picks up UK rights to Eddie Izzard film

Back in November, we shared the news that the legendary British horror label Hammer Films was teaming up with the UK’s Network Distributing to form a new company called Hammer Studios Ltd., which will “invest substantially both in restoration and new production development from both its owned and newly created IP”. Last month, it was announced that gender fluid comedian/actor Eddie Izzard (The Lost Symbol) would be playing Doctor Nina Jekyll in “a modern interpretation” of Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1886 novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. Now Variety reports that Hammer Studios has acquired the UK rights to Doctor Jekyll. Izzard is now officially a Hammer Jekyll and Hyde.

Director Joe Stephenson developed Doctor Jekyll with first-time writer Dan Kelly-Mulhern during the UK lockdown. The story they crafted follows

the reclusive Nina Jekyll finding friendship with her newly hired help, Rob. They must work together to prevent Hyde from destroying her life.

Rob is set to be played by Scott Chambers, who previously worked with Stephenson on the film Chicken.

Hammer Studios managing director Tim Beddows provided the following statement:

We’re thrilled to be partnering with Joe and his superlative cast and crew on Doctor Jekyll. There can be few subjects more apt to launch Hammer Studios and the production has everything you’d expect of a modern Hammer film.”

Stephenson added:

It’s an honor to partner this way with the new Hammer Studios, in doing so Doctor Jekyll becomes both part of a legendary legacy and the start of an exciting future for U.K. genre filmmaking.”

Hammer previously made the Jeykll and Hyde films The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960) and Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde (1971). Paul Massie played Jekyll and Hyde in the former, with Ralph Bates taking on the role Jekyll in the later. “Sister Hyde” was played by Martine Beswick.