Irish Production Company Element Pictures has acquired the rights to Laird Hunt’s critically acclaimed novel, Neverhome, with Lenny Abrahamson set to direct and Ed Guiney producing.

Neverhome tells the incredible story of Ash Thompson who leaves her husband to don the uniform of a Union soldier in the American Civil War. Through bloodshed, hysteria, and heartbreak, she becomes a hero, a folk legend, a madwoman, and a traitor to the American cause.

Abrahamsom, who is currently in Canada getting ready to shoot his next film, The Room, having previously directed films such as What Richard Did, Garage, and Frank, has expressed his joy at securing the rights and his role in the production.

"Laird has written a truly amazing novel and created in Ash a character so vivid and original. I could not be more excited about making this film”.

If you haven’t heard of the book until now, don’t feel too disheartened, I hadn’t either, but it turns out that it’s only being published in the UK next year, so Element were ahead of the game on this one.