Oscar Winner Christopher Hampton to Adapt Handel’s ‘Messiah’ Story for Walden Media
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A new film will explore the dramatic origins of George Frideric Handel’s iconic oratorio, based on the critically acclaimed book Every Valley.
Walden Media has tapped Christopher Hampton, the celebrated screenwriter behind Dangerous Liaisons and The Father, to adapt Charles King’s Every Valley: The Desperate Lives and Troubled Times That Made Handel’s Messiah for the big screen. The project promises a cinematic exploration of the tumultuous era that birthed one of the world’s most beloved musical works.
Unveiling the Story Behind the Masterpiece
Published in 2024, Every Valley delves beyond the familiar melodies of Handel’s Messiah, revealing a gripping narrative of war, political upheaval, and personal hardship. The book, lauded for its scope and depth, traces the lives of numerous historical figures who contributed to the creation of the enduring oratorio. It’s a story that resonates even today, as Messiah continues to be performed annually by leading choirs and orchestras globally, considered by many to be the greatest piece of participatory art ever created.
A Vision for the Screen
“Handel’s journey through immense struggle and personal transformation to create one of the most beloved and enduring pieces of music is an epic befitting the movie screen,” stated a senior official at Walden Media. “We could think of no better writer than Christopher Hampton to adapt Charles King’s book with the depth, beauty, and scale it deserves.”
Hampton’s distinguished career includes two Academy Awards – for Dangerous Liaisons and The Father – as well as two Tony Awards for his work on Sunset Boulevard. He recently collaborated with Florian Zeller again on the 2022 drama The Son. He is represented by Casarotto Ramsay & Associates and CAA.
Walden Media’s Expanding Slate
The adaptation of Every Valley adds to Walden Media’s growing portfolio of historical and dramatic projects. The studio is currently generating awards buzz with Nuremberg, a historical thriller starring Russell Crowe, Rami Malek, Leo Woodall, and Michael Shannon, which boasts a 96% fresh audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes following its November 7th U.S. release by Sony Pictures Classics. Walden Media is also in post-production on Billion Dollar Spy, a Cold War thriller starring Crowe and Harry Lawtey, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by David Hoffman.
Charles King, the author of Every Valley, is also known for his New York Times-bestselling Gods of the Upper Air, winner of the Francis Parkman Prize and the Anisfield-Wolf Award. His other acclaimed works include Odessa, a National Jewish Book Award winner, and Midnight at the Pera Palace, a chronicle of modern Istanbul.
The production of Every Valley will be led by Frank Smith, Benjamin Tappan, and Cher Hawrysh of Walden Media, alongside Dan Lupovitz and Peter Touche. The film promises to bring a fresh and compelling perspective to the story behind a timeless masterpiece.
