Hollywood Stars Jamie Dornan & Conor MacNeill Launch Blackthorn Films in Ireland

by

Today marks an esteemed moment for Ireland, as two homegrown talents, Jamie Dornan and Conor MacNeill, initiate their joint film and TV production company named Blackthorn Films.

The upcoming business will be situated in the northern part of the country, a place where Dornan and MacNeill grew up. They first crossed paths on the 2015 film “The Siege of Jadotville,” and have since collaborated on productions such as “The Tourist,” “The Fall,” and the award-winning “Belfast.”

Or:

Our new business will be established in the northern region of the country, where both Dornan and MacNeill were brought up. They initially worked together on the 2015 film “The Siege of Jadotville,” and have since joined forces for productions like “The Tourist,” “The Fall,” and the acclaimed “Belfast.”

Or:

The new endeavor will take root in the northern part of the country, where Dornan and MacNeill hail from. They first teamed up on the 2015 film “The Siege of Jadotville,” and have since appeared together in projects such as “The Tourist,” “The Fall,” and the critically-acclaimed “Belfast.”

All three sentences convey the same meaning, but use slightly different wordings to achieve a more natural flow.

Initially, the duo brought on board producer Shauna Shivers-McAtamney to manage Blackthorn’s movie and television projects. Notably, Blackthorn has recently been granted funding by BBC’s TV Small Indie Fund, a program designed to foster the development of independent production companies throughout the United Kingdom.

Blackthorn Films originated with a collective ambition to bring authentic Irish tales to a worldwide audience. Their goal is to generate content that offers a new perspective, focusing especially on stories from Northern Ireland,” stated Dornan and MacNeill.

We thrive creatively when working from home, and we’re eager to team up with the multitude of skilled and gifted filmmakers residing there. Many of these individuals are familiar faces from our previous projects. The exceptional professionalism, optimistic attitude, and humble demeanor of the principal talent and crews in Ireland, both North and South, is something we aspire to leverage and amplify.

Originally from Element Pictures, a distinguished film label known for “The Favourite,” Shivers-McAtamney has worked in development. Additionally, she’s held script editing roles on various projects including the BBC-Hulu adaptation of Sally Rooney’s “Conversations With Friends,” the BAFTA-nominated dramedy “The Dry,” and the upcoming Channel 4 production “Trespasses” featuring Gillian Anderson. Shivers-McAtamney is also a graduate of the British Film Institute’s Insight program, which spotlights rising producers in the industry.

Jamie Dornan will soon appear alongside Anthony Mackie in “12 12 12,” an exclusive series on Apple TV+ that they both helped produce. Additionally, he is set to play twin brothers in the upcoming Netflix crime noir series “The Undertow.” In the realm of television, Dornan has garnered significant praise for his acting roles in “The Fall,” which earned him an Irish Film and Television Award for Best Actor and a BAFTA TV Award nomination. His supporting role in Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast” led to nominations at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards, and IFTAs.

This summer, MacNeill is set to take the lead in the “Outlander” prequel titled “Blood of My Blood,” airing on Starz. He gained significant recognition for his remarkable role as banker Kenny Kilbane in HBO’s series “Industry.” Apart from this, MacNeill has an impressive resume that includes roles in BBC’s true crime drama “The Sixth Commandment,” “In the Land of Saints & Sinners,” “Derry Girls” and “Love & Friendship.” Additionally, he has had two successful runs on Broadway, performing alongside Daniel Radcliffe in “The Cripple of Inishmaan” and in Sam Mendes’ production of “The Ferryman.

Read More

2025-04-28 20:46