Could fighting biopic ‘PRETTY BOY’ be the hardest-hitting Britflick of 2019

Hereford Films, the company behind a slew of British gangster films is developing a biopic of legendary underworld hardman Roy Shaw, based on his best-selling autobiography PRETTY BOY.

The film stars Mark Harris (BONDED BY BLOOD 2, THE HATTON GARDEN JOB) in the title role, and he was recently spotted out in London with Hereford Films’ CEO Jonathan Sothcott. The pair lunched at celebrity eaterie Langan’s, which was once owned by Sir Michael Caine.

Sothcott, whose 35+ movie CV boasts such Britflick classics as VENDETTA and WE STILL KILL THE OLD WAY, certainly knows his stuff in this genre and his belief in Harris, a relative latecomer to acting, is apparent as he gears up to unleash the film on audiences next year. Sothcott’s successful business model of mixing up and coming talents with familiar faces seems to still be working as well as ever – his last film, THE KRAYS – DEAD MAN WALKING, was the most successful non-theatrical British film of 2018.

The rest of the cast, along with the director, have yet to be revealed, but Sothcott has worked with the likes of Mark Hamill, Sheridan Smith, Richard E Grant, Martin Kemp, Danny Dyer and Craig Fairbrass on numerous occasions so we are expecting a strong ensemble. Harris is clearly taking the role seriously, posting videos of his boxing training and body transformation on Instagram.

The film to beat, is of course, MY NAME IS LENNY, the biopic of Shaw’s nemesis Lenny McLean, which was released to a decidedly lukewarm reception earlier this year. At one point Sothcott’s Hereford Films announced a rival McLean project based on his autobiography The Guvnor, but shelved it out of respect to McLean’s son Jamie, who was involved in the other movie.

Expectations are high for the bare knuckle epic but early indications are pointing to another Hereford hit.