Jonathan Bailey and Bill Nighy are set to star as lovers in Insomniac City, a new film directed by Dominic Cooke, based on the memoir by writer and photographer Bill Hayes. Bailey will portray Hayes, while Nighy will play the neurologist Oliver Sacks.

The film adapts Hayes's 2017 memoir of the same name, with the screenplay co-written by Hayes and Cooke. The story follows Hayes after he moves to New York City from San Francisco following a painful loss.

As he rebuilds his life, he falls "unexpectedly in love with both the city and Oliver Sacks." Hayes remarked, "Insomniac City is a rare story that feels both profoundly intimate and epic in scope." The project is being produced by Troy Lum and Andrew Mason of Brouhaha Entertainment, alongside Bailey, Mike Goodridge, and Gabrielle Tana.

Altitude is handling worldwide sales and will introduce the film to buyers at the American Film Market. No start date for filming has been announced, and no additional cast members have been named.

Casting Bailey and Nighy together brings two of Britain's most acclaimed actors to a story about love between two very different men. The film is expected to draw significant attention due to the high-profile nature of the source material and the talent involved in the production.

Industry experts suggest that the pairing of Bailey and Nighy will provide a unique emotional depth to the narrative, given their respective acting backgrounds. Fans of the original memoir have expressed excitement about the adaptation, noting that the casting choices align well with the public perception of the real-life figures.

Further updates regarding the production schedule and additional cast announcements are expected in the coming months as the project moves into pre-production.