The Eagle is a historical drama directed by Kevin MacDonald and adapted from Rosemary Sutcliff’s 1954 historical novel The Eagle of the Ninth.

Set in Britain during 140 AD, it tells the story of a young Roman officer (Channing Tatum) and his slave (Jamie Bell), who venture to the North of England in order to find the eagle standard of an ill-fated legion who disappeared several years before.

Duncan Kenworthy has produced several British films, including Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), Lawn Dogs (1997), Notting Hill (1999) and Love Actually (2003) and he has wanted to make this film for a number of years.

I recently spoke with him about its development, the historical accuracy of the piece, choosing Kevin MacDonald as director and the current state of the British film industry after the closure of the UK Film Council.