Film version set in Roman Britain

Horrible Histories is being turned into a movie.

The big screen version of the kids' sketch show will be set in Roman Britain and goes into production next year, with plans to make it the first in a series of features.

Cast details are yet to be revealed. But the core acting team of Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond are all expected to return.

Howick enigmatically tweeted 'idiots assemble' last month and was followed by Willbond posting 'the idiots are gathering. I'm excited.' Earlier this year Farnaby confirmed to Chortle that the group, who also made three series of Yonderland for Sky, were working on a new project.

'We're just developing something' he said. 'But we haven't got anything set yet. We all get on really well and are mates and would like to continue doing stuff together.’

The team behind Horrible Histories previously made the 2015 film comedy Bill, about the life of William Shakespeare.

Jessica Swale, who won the Olivier Award for best comedy for her play Nell Gwynn has written the script for the new film. And the director is Dominic Brigstocke, helmer of several of the Bafta-winning television show's six series.

The movie is being made by Altitude Film Entertainment with Citrus Films, the company whose television arm is behind the small-screen adaptations of Terry Deary's best-selling children's books.

Brigstocke also produces alongside Altitude's Will Clarke and Citrus's Caroline Norris and Giles Pilbrow.

'We very much see this as a franchise with rich and incredibly funny source material to produce further films in the series,' Clarke told the film trade website Screen. 'We have been working hard with Caroline, Dom, Giles and Jessica for three years in developing this for the big screen and we are now thrilled to be moving forward into production next year.'

Norris added: 'Making the TV series was more fun than should strictly be allowed, so we can’t wait to supersize that sketch show DNA for the big screen.'

Horrible Histories won an international Emmy for factual entertainment in May.

-  by Jay Richardson

Published: 12 Oct 2017