Colm Meaney is set to play Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness in an upcoming film entitled The Journey.
The film will tell the story of Ian Paisley's unlikely friendship with McGuinness as the two men shared power in Stormont after decades of animosity. The pair eventually got the nickname "the chuckle brothers" on account of the clear bonhomie between the former foes.
Meaney will play McGuinness opposite Timothy Spall who has been cast in the role of former Northern Ireland First Minister and DUP leader Ian Paisley.
@RTE_TEN @sinnfeinireland There is a likeness pic.twitter.com/jZt1aLTi7a
— RTÉ Archives (@RTEArchives) August 27, 2015
According to reports the film will give a fictional account of the two men as they take a short journey together during which they "take the biggest leap of faith and change the course of modern history".
Killing Bono's Nick Hamm will direct the project, while County Down-born novelist and screenwriter Colin Bateman will pen the script.
Shooting will begin in mid-September on location in Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness pictured together in 2007
