“Glastonbury” follows the legends of the Holy Grail and how it came to Britain in the first century. Joseph escapes peril in Jerusalem with the chalice and implores the help of the British warrior Caractacus who has set up resistance to Roman domination.
Upcoming epic “Glastonbury: Isle of Light” currently in development with producer Leon Clarance (Sence8, Come and Find Me) and line producer Ned Dowd (Count of Monte Cristo, Last of the Mohicans). The film project has has also joined forces with Weta Workshop Director Sir Richard Taylor (King Kong, Avatar) and illustrator John Howe (Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and Narnia) among many others.
Highly publicized by UK media, “Glastonbury” has been in talks with major A-list actors eager to join the cast. The films production has planned partnerships with Visit Somerset, Visit England and Visit Britain. Other team members include Game of Thrones stunt coordinator Paul Jennings, The Passion and Narnia publicity firm along with Star Wars casting director Robin Gurland and Skywalker Sounds Kent Sparling.
While a minor character in the biblical records, Joseph of Arimathea achieves superstar status in the later medieval legends. Considered the original keeper of the Holy Grail and the ancestor of King Arthur and Sir Lancelot, no biblical figure other than Christ equaled the amount of popular press given to Joseph of Arimathea during the Middle Ages. Through the high-spirited trials of Joseph and Caractacus, Glastonbury, as Avalon, becomes a sanctuary of magic and legend, rightfully earning its title from William Blake as England’s “Jerusalem”.
“Glastonbury: Isle of Light” is an epic tale of great conflict, both within the human spirit and on the physical battlefield. A first-of-its-kind based on the authentic legends of Joseph of Arimathea and Prince Caractacus, Glastonbury is a unique narrative centering around the ancient island that once existed in southwest Britain. As Joseph returns to Britain he is reunited with the Celtic kings and together they set out to rediscover the hidden island in the hopes of unlocking the power to redeem their nation. Both history and tradition teach that within the first century, Joseph of Arimathea along with twelve companions, journeyed to the most far-flung corner of the Roman Empire: the Island of Britain. It was said Joseph achieved wealth in the tin and iron trade within the mining districts of Cornwall and Somerset. As an unlikely character to cast as the founder of the Christian church in England, Joseph became one of the centerpieces of Medieval literature and Arthurian legend. While little is written about Joseph within biblical accounts, he was certainly a popular figure in both apocryphal writings and in numerous medieval Arthurian epics, including Mallory’s “Le Morte D’Arthur”, and Robert de Boron’s “Joseph d’Arimathie”.
“The dialogue and settings are rich and well thought out… no doubt about it, dialogue is a standout element”
– Original Films
“The fact that one of Caractacus’ brothers kills their uncle and accepts Roman rule is amazing in terms of its stakes, not only for their family but also for their whole country. The stakes don’t get much higher than that. Stakes is one of the key elements in any script but in a historical epic, they are super paramount. The stakes are so high for everyone in this script”
– Script Shark
“Certainly wets the appetite… a milieu and an environment that is most intriguing.”
– Michael Donaldson, International Documentary Association, President
“The Glastonbury script will have a grand effect on screen. An original and engaging chronicle and a very promising idea and concept.”
– Chris Morley, Script Analyst-Jerry Bruckheimer Films
“I think Glastonbury is a very praiseworthy production, and if I might add very professionally created”
– Richard Bray, Cinematographer, BBC
“A bold and massive work, a script of beauty, action, passion and very intricate character connections; a great story of freedom. Good, epochal cinema here. The characters breathe, live and give meaning to this wonderful, exciting story which I never knew!”
– Peter Belsito, Film Finders, IMDB
“Strong target audience. The historical nature of the story transcends religion… it presents a lush and intriguing idea to build a story around.”
– Jackie Ingles – Yale University, Film Study Center
“The main character, Caractacus, has great internal as well as external battles, and that’s the best part! There’s an abundance of rich material to be found here, indeed this is a sweeping epic. The words spoken by all the characters create a certain kind of poetry.”
– Baseline StudioSystems
“I am very excited to hear of your efforts toward the preservation of the Welsh language through Glastonbury”
– David Salo, Tolkien Linguist