It’s been all-but confirmed in recent months, but now the official announcement has been made: E4’s teen drama Skins will be hitting the big screen sometime next year, according to a statement picked up by Variety.
And given that the show is still in production, with the most recent series aired earlier this year, the Skins creators and producers are most definitely involved, which should hopefully keep the quality level high. Regular director Chris Martin will be behind the camera while, according to distributor Steve Christian, writer Jack Thorne has "finished nearly 95% of the screenplay."
So what can we expect from the movie in terms of the cast, especially since some of the first generation (such as Nicholas Hoult and Dev Patel) have moved on to busy film careers? "Everyone wants to know right now but until the whole package is put together we're keeping quiet," Christian says. "But there will be some names from series one and two and some new faces as well." Yes, the most recent cast will be represented too.
The budget is also naturally a secret, though it’ll likely end up around $20 million, with the aim to give it the big screen sheen and not just a straight replication of the TV version’s style, all while maintaining the cheeky, risk-taking quality that viewers have come to expect. "We can't dilute Skins just for the sake of trying to reach the widest audience," explains Christian. "That would be cheating the brand." Here's a hint, though: if you want people to think you're doing right by the characters and their story, don't label it a brand.
Even though the series has been nabbed for a US TV remake (MTV has the rights, though surely something like this belongs on channels such as HBO or Showtime), it’ll still be a proudly British production, with a shoot scheduled for September in Bristol and the Isle of Man.