Shivangi Sinha
The filming of Sky and Peacock’s ‘Lockerbie’ has begun filming in Scotland. The historical series will delve into the real-life events surrounding the tragic bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, resulting in the death of a young girl named Flora and 269 others. It will chronicle the relentless quest for justice led by Jim Swire, Flora’s father, as he embarks on a journey that takes him away from his wife Jane, and their two children, William and Cathy. Colin Firth headlines the cast as Swire.
As the story unfolds, two Libyans are accused of the crime, leading Jim to engage with world leader Colonel Gaddafi to have the accused tried under Scottish law. However, a web of lies, compromised witnesses, and tampered evidence gradually unveils a complex geopolitical landscape beyond Jim’s initial assumptions. His faith in the Libyan defendants’ guilt and his government’s justice system begins to crumble. When Abdelbaset al-Megrahi is convicted, Jim embarks on a personal mission to uncover the truth and seek justice for Megrahi as well.
The screenplay of Lockerbie is a family affair, with Jim Sheridan and Kirsten Sheridan taking on the writing duties. Adding to the creative mix, Jim’s daughter, Naomi Sheridan contributes as a guest writer for an episode. The series draws inspiration from Jim Swire and Peter Biddulph’s book, ‘The Lockerbie Bombing: A Father’s Search for Justice,’ along with other sources. Jim Sheridan, the acclaimed Irish playwright and filmmaker, is renowned for his work in films like ‘In the Name of the Father’ and ‘My Left Foot.’ He is a recipient of six Academy Award nominations. Kirsten and Naomi previously collaborated with Jim in ‘In America,’ a project that also received an Academy Award nomination. Kirsten is further recognized for her work in ‘Disco Pigs’ and ‘August Rush.’
‘Lockerbie’ holds the distinction of being the first scripted co-commission between Sky and its sister company, Peacock, which is NBC Universal’s streaming service. Additionally, the production of the miniseries receives support from Screen Scotland’s Screen Commission, further underscoring the collaborative effort behind this compelling project.
Scotland has frequently served as a backdrop for various TV shows, offering its unique character to the screen. Productions like ‘Crime’ in 2021 and the long-running ‘Taggart’ notably benefited from the city’s locales. Additionally, historical dramas such as ‘Outlander‘ have found the country to be an appealing and versatile filming location.
‘Lockerbie,’ with its anticipated five-part series format, has been a project generating buzz for quite some time. Devoted fans of Jim Sheridan are eagerly anticipating this endeavor and the real-life narrative that serves as its foundation promises to create a series that is truly extraordinary and a must-watch.
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