4 days ago
A24 Teaming With ‘How To Have Sex's Molly Manning Walker On Women's Soccer Series For Channel 4
EXCLUSIVE: Molly Manning Walker, whose debut feature How to Have Sex won the Cannes Un Certain Regard, is teaming with A24 and Channel 4 on her debut TV series.
Major Players is about two girls on the brink of adulthood and their mission to start a women's soccer team. The series is described as a 'love letter to football and a funny and wild exploration of young people in London today, tackling topics from friendship to gender politics.'
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The show is inspired by Manning Walker's high school experience. She is also the co-founder of Babe City FC, a London-based Sunday league soccer team for women and non-binary people in the film industry, which has more than 180 members.
Manning Walker is exec producing, directing and co-writing Major Players with Yasmin Joseph, who wrote on Disney+'s A Thousand Blows and A24-Apple's upcoming Husbands starring Juno Temple. Joseph is also working with A24 on an unannounced Netflix project.
Manning Walker's stock has soared since How to Have Sex, which starred Mia McKenna-Bruce as one of three teen best friends who encounter new friendships, sexual pressures and self-discovery during a holiday. The Film4 movie won the Cannes Un Certain Regard 2023 and earned two BAFTA nominations. Major Players is her first TV series. She is also working on an under-wraps irreverent comedy movie with Plan B.
Manning Walker said: 'I can't wait to bring Major Players to life with this amazing team. It is a coming of age story, filled with first love, grief and bicycle kicks set in your local cage. I'm excited to shine a light on women's football which I'm a huge fan and supporter of.'
Channel 4 drama and Film4 boss Ollie Madden, who worked with Manning Walker on How to Have Sex, described her as 'one of the most exciting new filmmaking voices to emerge from the UK in years.' 'It's a thrill to be continuing our journey with her on Major Players, alongside Yasmin Joseph and our friends at A24. With its mix of wit, heart and fearless energy, it's exactly the kind of fresh storytelling we champion across Film4 and Channel 4 Drama,' he said.
Madden has been making a splash since taking over TV drama at Channel 4. He has commissioned the likes of Gillian Anderson-starrer Trespasses, an adaptation of buzzy novel The Rachel Incident and a remake of Channel 4's most-watched drama of all time, A Woman of Substance.
He will be delighted with Channel 4's burgeoning relationship with the UK hub of American indie behemoth A24, which is run by ex-BBC execs Piers Wenger and Rose Garnett. A24 and Channel 4 are also working on a comedy together, Leo Reich's It Gets Worse.
A24, meanwhile, has entered the TV soccer biz in a big way of late. Alongside Major Players, it is working on a Liverpool FC series with Adolescence co-creator Jack Thorne.
Major Players was commissioned by Madden, Gwawr Lloyd, Commissioning Editor, Channel 4 Drama and Farhana Bhula, Deputy Director and Head of Creative, Film4. The series will be made by A24 and the producer is Matthew Mulot (Baby Reindeer). Manning Walker will direct and executive of Deadline
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