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)
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.
In short
- 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.
Explained simply
After the First World War, many communities in Britain were coping with grief and loss. Uley is a village in Gloucestershire, where Alyce Cunningham is said to have taken in a baby gorilla brought from London by her nephew.
The gorilla, named John Daniel, became part of village life. The story centres on the friendship between Alyce and the animal, and on how the villagers’ reactions shaped his place among them.
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