Tim Blake Nelson Saddles Up for Gritty Western WHERE THE SPARROWS FLY
Tim Blake Nelson is returning to the wild frontier in the upcoming western Where The Sparrows Fly, a new project being launched by Alliance Media Partners (AMP) at this year’s American Film Market.
The Old Henry and O Brother, Where Art Thou? star is set to both headline and executive-produce the film, which sounds like a haunting, character-driven ride into the darker side of the West.
Set against the unforgiving landscape of the frontier, the story follows Truman Kersh, a drifting con-man and card-shark whose latest scam goes violently wrong.
On the run from the law and tormented by guilt, Truman’s sense of reality begins to unravel as he encounters a group of settlers hiding their own dark secrets. It’s a tale of survival, sin, and redemption, or at least the search for it, under the endless, empty sky.
Where The Sparrows Fly will be directed by Anthony Baden Saggers, who is also producing alongside Doug Metzger (Dances with Wolves, K-9, Scary Movie 3) and Nelson’s own Red Barn Films. Metzger’s experience with sweeping, cinematic productions should bring a classic western texture to the project, while Saggers’ vision promises something more stripped down and psychological.
Saggers described the film’s raw tone, saying: “Where the Sparrows Fly strips the western to its starkest elements – it’s a portrait of humanity, fortune and the cost of survival on the edge of civilization.”
Anthony Buckner, AMP’s Head of Sales and Acquisitions, said: “Audiences are hungry for westerns that have something deeper to say, and Where the Sparrows Fly hits that mark perfectly. It’s atmospheric, violent, and anchored by one of the greatest character actors around.”
Production is slated to begin in early 2026 in Gran Canaria, Spain, in partnership with Canary Productions. Casting is still underway, but Nelson’s involvement already gives this film serious credibility in the genre.
Nelson continues to stay busy and he’s currently co-starring in FX’s The Lowdown and will next appear in Searchlight’s The Testament of Ann Lee. And for fans who want to see a different side of his creativity, his second novel, Superhero, will hit shelves on December 2 through Unnamed Press.
With its stark frontier setting, morally complex characters, and a lead actor who thrives in that kind of world, Where The Sparrows Fly sounds like an atmospheric western that I’m excited about watching.
Source: Deadline