Movie stardom beckons for Williamson Tunnels

[jimmy]

Movie stardom beckons for Williamson Tunnels
May 30 2008 by Laura Sharpe, Liverpool Daily Post


Movie stardom beckonsfor Williamson Tunnels

LIVERPOOL’S underground tunnels might star in a Hollywood movie of the best-selling children’s book they inspired.

The underground world of the Williamson Tunnels in Edge Hill inspired a Liverpool author to co-write Tunnels.

Published in 2007 to critical acclaim, the book follows 14-year-old Will Burrows, who discovers a hidden underground community as he hunts for his missing father.

And yesterday, authors Brian Williams, who grew up in Edge Hill, and Roderick Gordon returned to the tunnels to recce the site for the movie.

Oscar-nominated screen writers have already been signed up to adapt the book, which could be filmed next year and be on our screens in 2010.

Produced by the company behind movies including The Other Boleyn Girl and 3:10 to Yuma, the movie is widely predicted to fill the void following Harry Potter.

Brian said: “I was born in Zambia in a copper-mining community and first went underground into a pit at the age of nine.

“We moved to Liverpool when I was 13, and whenever we visited the Williamson Tunnels they really fascinated me.

“Any young person when they dig into the ground wonders what’s below, and these disused tunnels inspired our underground novel.

“The Williamson Tunnels are so raw.

“Tunnels in other cities are often too tidy and polished.

“There’s a real energy here and the arches of the main tunnels formed our thinking in the book and we’re really hopeful the movie can be part filmed here in Liverpool.�

Roderick, whose great-great-grandfather was a famous geologist and discovered one of the first dinosaurs, said fossils and disused tunnels had always played a part in his upbringing.

Roderick said: “We love coming back here and it’s not only the tunnels which play a part in both books but also Williamson himself.

“Locally, it’s thought he joined a religious sect following the death of his wife and one of the ‘baddies’ in the new book is based on that period in his life.

“We’re not sure how much influence we’ll have on filming locations but we’d love the tunnels to play a part in the movie.�

And the authors have already dreamed up possible castings, including Russell Crowe, Ranulph Fiennes and Johnny Depp, who could all play characters.

But it was back to business at the tunnels off Smithdown Lane, where Roderick read passages from Tunnels and Deeper to eager fans.

Deeper sees Will and friend Chester travel five miles below the Tunnels world, where they discover another community, this time made up of renegades.

Brian added: “It’s unbelievable to think the book will soon be a movie. We’re excited about working on it and we hope our visit to Liverpool will show producers how keen we are to film in the city.�

laurasharpe