Danny Boyle film to shoot in Northumberland with lots of roles available for local extras

A London casting agency is issuing an "urgent" call-out for North East extras to take part in an upcoming shoot for a new Danny Boyle film.

Extras agency The Casting Collective has announced it is working on an "exciting new feature film" by the Oscar winning director which will be filming in Northumberland this May - and the news has sparked speculation that the movie in question could be 28 Years Later - the much-talked-about follow-up to zombie favourite 28 Days Later.

The agency has not yet revealed any details of the film, only that it is seeking "lots of people" to fill roles of extras for shooting a big scene in Boyle's feature and it is believed that similar call-outs have gone out across other areas of the North East, with suggestions that a local shoot will not be confined to Northumberland but will also take in Newcastle, Gateshead and areas of Tyneside as well as Berwick-upon-Tweed.

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Steven Bridgett, who represents the Rothbury ward on Northumberland County Council, said he had first heard talk at the end of March of a Danny Boyle film shoot in the area, when he was contacted by a couple of local residents who told him that a location scout had visited the area, scoping out potential areas to feature in a new Danny Boyle movie.

Coun Bridgett has now received a message - which he thinks was shared throughout local community groups - from the casting agency wanting to spread the word about opportunities for extras to fill roles - which are to be paid - for the local shoot of what is set to be a "large village scene" in a film by Boyle. He carried out a bit of research online and says: "The only movie I can see that starts filming next month and that he's involved with is the 28 Days Later franchise."

The message from the casting agency said: "We are looking for people of all ages, genders and ethnicities who live within travelling distance of Northumberland. "We need a large number of people rather urgently."

All ages from 17 upwards, genders and ethnicities are welcome to apply and those interested are invited to share their details online. News that Boyle is set to travel north is guaranteed to generate huge excitement in the area.

A 28 Years Later sequel by the Trainspotting and Slumdog Millionaire director - continuing the story of his original 'zombie' virus thriller - will reunite him with co-writer Alex Garland. There are reports that fellow Oscar winner Cillian Murphy - Peaky Blinders' Tommy Shelby who starred in 28 Days Later and is now the talk of Hollywood following his Academy Award for his lead role in Oppenheimer - is keen to team up again with Boyle.

There are rumours too of Charlie Hunnam, who started off in Byker Grove, and Killing Eve's Jodie Comer joining the cast. Coun Bridgett said any filming around Rothbury would be welcomed and he has heard that quite a few local residents are themselves keen to sign up for extra roles "in the hope of meeting the Tommy Shelby and Oppenheimer actor!"

Anyone interested in applying for a chance of an extra role in the local film shoot can find details here on the process which will involve uploading photographs and contact details.