Adolescence Star Erin Doherty Teams Up With James McAvoy for Supernatural Drama Faith

Two excellent actors, one eerie setup. Erin Doherty and James McAvoy are teaming for a new supernatural drama called 'Faith,' now filming in the U.K. I am very here for this pairing.

What is 'Faith'?

Writer/director Paul Andrew Williams is behind it. If that name rings a bell, he’s the filmmaker who bounced between genres with 'London to Brighton,' the horror twofer 'The Cottage' and 'Cherry Tree Lane,' the dramedy 'Unfinished Song,' and the recent revenge thriller 'Bull.' Variety was first to report the project, which is already rolling cameras.

The story

The film centers on Gina, a single mom who never stops hustling, and Michael, a softly mysterious stranger who drifts into her life. He’s kind, attentive, and exactly the kind of presence she hasn’t had in a while, but also a total unknown. Is he a good guy? A romantic possibility? Or is there something darker under the surface?

Things flip when Gina’s world suddenly implodes and Michael’s real identity comes out. That reveal is the hinge: whatever Michael truly is, it just might push Gina toward actually living again, not just surviving.

Who’s involved

• Leads: Erin Doherty, coming off an Emmy and a Golden Globe for 'Adolescence,' stars as Gina; James McAvoy ('Speak No Evil') plays Michael.
• Supporting: Liv Hill ('Jellyfish') and Smylie Bradwell ('Hamnet').
• Producers: Dominic Tighe for Giant Productions; Danny Page for Homefront Productions and Blazing Griffin.
• Financing: Blazing Griffin, Logical, and Homefront Productions.
• Status: Production is underway in the U.K.

The filmmaker’s take

'Faith is a deeply personal story to me. Telling a story of strength and hope, set in a known reality yet shadowed by something other worldly that we can't quite explain which is guiding us through life. I am so fortunate to be working with such a talented group of actors and crew... Collaborating with Erin Doherty and James McAvoy has been a gift. Their commitment elevates every moment.'

Behind the scenes, Stephen Kelliher at Bankside Films and Andrei Kamarowsky at Logical are clearly bullish on it too, praising Williams for playing with genre in ways that swerve where you think it’s going, while keeping the emotion front and center. Translation: expect a mood piece with a hook, not just jump scares.

My read

McAvoy rarely phones it in, and Doherty was a knockout in 'Adolescence.' Putting them together in a grounded, supernatural character piece sounds like smart casting. Curious to see what 'extraordinary identity' actually means here. You in?