Comedian and would-be Sheffield Central MP Eddie Izzard is bouncing back from her defeat in the race to become the city’s Labour parliamentary candidate with a starring role in Hammer Films’ new adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic 1886 novel Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
Izzard was beaten into second place for Sheffield’s Labour nomination by local councillor Abtisam Mohamed in December 2022, but the comic’s latest role as the unhinged scientist shows you don’t have to be in Westminster to be a potentially dangerous, pharmaceutically enhanced schizophrenic.
The film will be available in the UK on Digital Download from 11th March following its premier at leading horror and fantasy film festival Frightfest last August.
Doctor Jekyll is directed by Joe Stephenson (Chicken, McKellen: Playing The Part), and stars Izzard in the title role alongside also stars Scott Chambers and Simon Callow, as well as Lindsay Duncan, Jonathan Hyde, Morgan Watkins and Robyn Cara.
Hammer Films COO Jonathan Lack said: “In a year that marks a monumental milestone for Hammer Films, our 90th anniversary, we are proud to present Doctor Jekyll. This release is not just a new chapter in our storied history but a celebration of Hammer’s enduring legacy in horror cinema. Featuring the incredibly talented Eddie Izzard, under the skilled direction of Joe Stephenson, ‘Doctor Jekyll’ is a film that captures the essence of what has made Hammer a household name in horror.
“As we honour our past, we are also paving the way for a future filled with innovative and spine-tingling storytelling. We’re excited for audiences to dive into this haunting adaptation, available on digital platforms from 11th March, and join us in celebrating a year of landmark significance for Hammer Films.”
Director Stephenson added: “With ‘Doctor Jekyll’, I wanted to make a film that honours what has been before and doesn’t get made anymore, and still gives something fresh and unique to a 100yr old, often told, story.
“Hammer Films has always been synonymous with boundary-pushing horror, and with ‘Doctor Jekyll’ we wanted to honour that tradition but simultaneously take the structure, humour and horror styles of what people remember and love and bring them back for new audiences to discover.”
