February 23, 2012 11:24

Martin Freeman to star in new music industry movie 'Svengali'

Carl Barat, Alan McGee, 'Bonehead' all featured in the online TV version of the film

Former The Office star Martin Freeman is set to star in a film version of the online music industry comedy, Svengali.

Freeman will appear alongside Vicky McClure (This Is England '86) and Michael Smiley (Kill List) in the film, which is based on the satirical YouTube show. Of his role, Freeman says: "A friend of mine told me about Svengali after about the third episode. When he'd described it I was actually annoyed that I hadn't been asked to do it. I went home, watched the lot, and knew I was right to be annoyed. It was charming, sussed and very funny."

Former Oasis guitarist Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs, ex-Libertine Carl Barat, Goldie Lookin Chain's Maggot and former Creation records chief Alan McGee all appeared in the online version of Svengali, which ran to nine episodes and was written by Dean Cavanagh and also featured Shameless actor Jonathan Owen.

Says Owen of the film: "The web has changed everything. Svengali was originally an experiment to see if people wanted stories. It seems they did. To be making a movie now shows that anything is possible."

The film will see a host of bands and artists making cameo appearances as themselves.