# Dominic Cooke to Direct ‘John Daniel,’ Real-Life Story of Woman’s Friendship With Baby Gorilla in Post-WWI England, as Cornerstone Boards Sales (EXCLUSIVE)

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/dominic-cooke-to-direct-john-daniel-real-life-story-of-womans-friendship-with-baby-gorilla-in-post-wwi-england-as-cornerstone-boards-sales-exclusive/
- Published: 2026-10-30T15:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-30T15:34:39+00:00
- Original publisher: Variety
- Original article: https://variety.com/2026/film/global/dominic-cooke-john-daniel-british-film-baby-gorilla-1236934903/
- Topics: Celebrity, Entertainment, Film, UK, World

## Key points

- Dominic Cooke will direct the true-story film *John Daniel*.
- Cornerstone has taken worldwide sales rights.
- UK filming is scheduled to start in mid-2027.

## Summary

Dominic Cooke will direct *John Daniel*, a film based on the true story of an Englishwoman’s friendship with a baby gorilla in post-First World War England. Cornerstone has acquired worldwide sales rights ahead of the American Film Market, bringing the project to international buyers.

The film is set in 1918 in Uley, Gloucestershire, where Alyce Cunningham reluctantly takes in the gorilla, brought from London by her nephew. As John Daniel becomes part of village life, he helps a grieving community find joy, while fear and suspicion put his future there at risk. The screenplay is by Alexi Kaye Campbell, and filming is scheduled to begin in the UK in mid-2027, with motion capture and visual effects planned for the gorilla.

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.