Been So Long is set in modern London

Netflix has bought the worldwide rights to Michaela Coel’s new musical film Been So Long.

The movie is set in present-day Camden, North London, and features a soundtrack of modern RnB and dance music.

As previously announced, the Chewing Gun star leads the cast as Simone, ‘a young, spirited, single-minded mum with the soul of a poet’.

The film is based on the 2009 stage musical by Ché Walker and Arthur Darvill that premiered at The Young Vic and is directed by Tinge Krishnan.

Film Four has been making the movie with backing from the BFI and the National Lottery.

And today trade website Screen Daily reports that the screening giant – which hosts E4 hit Chewing Gum in the US –  has bought the rights for a multi-million pound sum that’s understood to be its largest single acquisition of a UK film.

Ronke Adekoluejo, who played Amy on one episode of Chewing Gum also co-stars alongside Arinzé Kene, George Mackay, Joe Dempsie, Luke Norris and Ashley Thomas.

Last month, Coel drew a veil over Chewing Gum, telling Channel 4 that she had ‘reached a creative peak’ at the end of the second series, and did not want to continue with the comedy.

Published: 7 Sep 2017