The quest to peel back the layers of a possible supernatural event will be the focus of an upcoming film titled, Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose. Deadline has revealed that the dramedy found its two stars in Simon Pegg and Minnie Driver with the ensemble to consist of Tim Downie, Ruth Connell, Paul Kaye, Gary Beadle, and Drew Moerlin.
The legend behind the happenings on the Isle of Man is one of the most bizarre, spooky, and, at times, laugh-out-loud narratives to ever exist. The story put forth by the Irving family was that their farm and home was being plagued by an entity known as Gef the Talking Mongoose. Sounds strange, right? Somehow, it gets weirder as the tale goes on. Claiming to be a ghost in mongoose form, Gef both tormented and helped the Irvings. During their time engaging with the press, the family would claim that Gef was the home’s protector and that he was so sweet he would even wake them up if they overslept! Because of the larger-than-life lore surrounding the mongoose who casually mentioned that he had been born in New Delhi, India (seriously, this is all part of the story), countless psychics and spiritualists flocked to the island in hopes of getting to the bottom of the Irving’s possessed mongoose.
One of those truth-seekers was the film’s titular Fodor. Staying with the family for one week, the psychoanalyst would dive into the world of the Irvings and their relationship with Gef, hoping to walk away with some answers. Pegg will be stepping into the role of Fodor with Driver playing his assistant, Anne, who helped Fodor every step of the way. Adam Sigal (Chariot) will serve the film as writer and director. In a statement accompanying the casting announcement, Sigal expressed his excitement for production to begin and for Pegg to step into the role of the famous Fodor. Of the Shaun of the Dead star taking on the role of the parapsychologist, Sigal commented, “There’s nobody else other than Simon who could embody this character and take us on this insane journey.” And with that sentiment, we couldn’t agree more. Imagining Pegg in the world of Gef is an absolute spot-on casting call, and we can’t wait to see how it all plays out.
Over the years, the Irving family have been called liars and fakers for their ramblings of Gef. While many who investigated the case walked away with a variety of answers ranging from the story being true to it being the result of unfortunate family dynamics playing out, it’s also incredibly possible that the family just succumbed to the extreme boredom that happens when you live on a remote island. No matter the case, we’re so pumped that this supernatural comedy is being given the on-screen telling that it deserves with plenty of star power to back it up.
Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose does not yet have a release date, stay tuned at Collider for more.