Following the theatrical debut of Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, breakout star Tom Blyth has found his next leading project. According to Variety, the English actor has been tapped for the leading role of Frederic Henry in the upcoming film adaptation of A Farewell to Arms, based on Ernest Hemingway’s seminal novel from 1929.
“As a long-time fan of Hemingway’s writing and Michael Winterbottom’s filmmaking, this is a dream project,” Blyth said in a statement. “Michael has adapted the book perfectly, with a script that captures all of the author’s unique nuance and precision. The examination of the human cost of conflict, and of love and hope trying to thrive within it, resonates more than ever. I can’t think of a better filmmaking team than Michael and Melissa to tell this story, and I’m truly thrilled to be bringing Frederic to life on screen for a contemporary audience.”
What to expect in A Farewell to Arms?
A Farewell to Arms will be written and directed by Michael Winterbottom. Set during World War I, the story follows Blyth’s character Frederic Henry, a young volunteer ambulance driver for the Italian Army, who gets falls in love with his nurse after getting wounded. Production is slated to begin in late 2024 in Italy.
The novel’s synopsis reads: “A Farewell to Arms is the unforgettable story of an American ambulance driver on the Italian front and his passion for a beautiful English nurse. Set against the looming horrors of the battlefield, this gripping, semiautobiographical work captures the harsh realities of war and the pain of lovers caught in its inexorable sweep.”
The film adaptation will be produced by Fremantle, Revolution Films, Passenger, and Melissa Parmenter for Revolution Films, with Winterbottom and Richard Brown executive producing. Hemingway’s estate, including his grandsons Brendan Hemingway and Patrick Hemingway Adams, are in full support of the project.
