London & Dublin-Based Sleeper Films Gets Investment, Reveals Supernatural Series With ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’ Showrunner

Sleeper Films, the London and Dublin-based film and TV company run by Lee Magiday (The Favourite), Rory Gilmartin (Herself) and Wilf Varvill, has secured investment from MediaNet Partners and Sampsonic Media.

New to the company’s development slate is supernatural thriller Corballymore House, a returnable TV series which is being co-produced with Ben Grass of Pure Grass Films.

Declan De Barra (The Witcher: Blood Origin) will showrun, with Diane Ademu-John (Dune – The Sisterhood) onboard as creative consultant and EP.

Created by De Barra and inspired by stories from his own family history, Corballymore House is set just prior to the First World War and follows the Doyle family as they inherit a remote manor house while recovering from the loss of their baby and failed business. Setting out with renewed hope to heal and restore their fortunes, they realize their previous troubles are nothing compared to what lies in wait for them at Corballymore. The series is currently being readied to pitch to select buyers.

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As previously announced, Sleeper Films is also developing feature film In the Shadows with Film4 about the UK-Somalian female boxer Ramla Ali, to be directed by Anthony Wonke and in partnership with Curate Films, and mystery thriller series The Ruín, an adaptation of Dervla McTiernan’s novel of the same name. In development with Screen Ireland, Sleeper is producing the drama with Colin Farrell and Claudine Farrell of Chapel Place Productions, Troy Lum and Andrew Mason at Brouhaha and Sophie Gardiner at Chapter One.

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MediaNet is an asset management firm specialized in the media and entertainment industry with previous investments including Stuart Ford’s AGC and production company Ray Productions.

“We’re delighted to be partnering with MediaNet and Sampsonic Media as we move forward into this exciting new period of growth for Sleeper. Our new partners share our passion for compelling story-telling from distinctive talent – stories that have something unique to say about the human condition; stories that can push boundaries and genres,” said Lee Magiday, Rory Gilmartin and Wilf Varvill.

Former Focus Features, PolyGram and Universal exec Magiday was producer on Oscar winner The Favourite and The Lobster. Former Screen Ireland exec Rory Gilmartin most recently produced Channel 4/Amazon Studios’ Frank Of Ireland for Merman, created by and starring Domhnall Gleeson and Brian Gleeson. He was previously in-house producer at Element Pictures where his feature film credits included Phyllida Lloyd’s Herself.

Varvill most recently worked for a film and TV completion guarantor and prior to that worked in acquisitions at Focus Features and Universal Pictures International.