BBC Christmas film of Mackesy’s bestseller to star Elba, Hollander and more

Illustrator and author Charlie Mackesy’s The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse (Ebury) has been adapted into a short film, coming to BBC One and iPlayer this Christmas.

To accompany the production Ebury will publish The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse: The Animated Story on 22nd November, a hardback that celebrates the work of more than 100 animators across two years of production, “with Charlie’s distinctive illustrations brought to life in full colour with hand-drawn traditional animation and accompanying hand-written script”.

Ebury publishing director Laura Higginson acquired UK and translation rights via Matthew Freud at Freuds. In the US, HarperOne is to publish simultaneously.

Published in October 2019, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse has sold more than seven million copies worldwide according to the publisher, with rights sold in over 44 foreign languages. 

The film "The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse" promises to “take audiences of all ages on an extraordinary, poignant and heartfelt journey this festive season, as the deeply resonating story follows the unlikely friendship of a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse as they journey together in the boy’s search for home”.

Tom Hollander will provide the voice for the mole along with Idris Elba (the fox), Gabriel Byrne (the horse) and Jude Coward Nicoll (the boy). Co-directed by Charlie Mackesy and Peter Baynton, the film is adapted from the original book in collaboration with Jon Croker.

There will also be an original score by composer Isobel Waller-Bridge, performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra and conducted by Geoff Alexander. The film has been acquired by Charlotte Moore, BBC chief content officer and Ayela Butt, BBC drama commissioning executive.

Mackesey said: “A while ago I wrote a book about a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse. I’ve been genuinely overwhelmed and surprised by the response to it. Thank you so much. We decided to make a film inspired by the book, and this is a book of the film. It wouldn’t have been possible without the gifted, patient team I worked with. It’s about their journey together, and the boy’s search for home. We hope you like it."

Higginson added: “It has been such a privilege to watch Charlie and the incredible animation team turn his extraordinary book into an animated story. We are so excited, and proud, to publish the accompanying book – it is a beautiful object for readers of all ages that shares the story of how the boy, the mole, the fox and the horse met and became friends. To see the conversations of Charlie’s original book from a new perspective, through the full-colour animation of the film, is really special.

"Once again Charlie has created an important, thoughtful book that we hope, with the film, will introduce even more people to his characters and bring hope and comfort to readers around the world for many years to come.”