News: Gary Oldman To Write, Direct, & Star In Flying Horse


Image courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures

Gary Oldman has signed on to direct and star in Flying Horse, based on the life story of the photographer 
Eadweard Muybridge. Oldman wrote the script about the man who helped develop the moving picture, but also had some dark moments in his life.

Muybridge was considered one of the true fathers of the moving image. Before that, he became world famous for his large photographs of Yosemite Valley.  In 1872, he was contracted by the former governor of California Leland Stanford, a business man and race-horse owner to capture a horse-in-motion. While Muybridge is known for his pioneering work on animal locomotion and creating the zoopraxiscope, he also shot and killed Major Harry Larkyns, his wife's lover.  He was eventually acquitted in a jury trial on grounds of justifiable homicide.

Oldman’s longtime producing partner Doug Urbanski is producing with Tucker Tooley, whose Tooley Entertainment is financing.

“This project has been a passion of Gary’s for some time, and I am thrilled to reunite with him to bring this compelling story to the big screen,” said Tooley.

Said Oldman and Urbanski in a joint statement: “We long to make good movies, and that means good stories—and there are few stories as good as these events. Launching the first feature from our newly formed production company, Flying Studios, with Tucker makes the entire thing very special for us. We could not wish for a more supportive or collaborative partner.”