The Pharmacist Optioned by Compact Pictures

John McKay’s Glasgow-based indie Compact Pictures is developing an adaptation of Rachelle Atalla’s The Pharmacist.

Atalla is attached to adapt the female-led psychological novel at Compact. It focuses on a group of bunker-dwelling survivors in a post-nuclear world.

McKay, CEO and lead producer at Compact Pictures, noted: “The Pharmacist is a stand-out novel and will make an atmospheric, claustrophobic adaptation—in the lo-fi, speculative vein of Children of Men, but with a strong female perspective. We are thrilled to be working directly with Rachelle; she is a charismatic, original and dynamic storytelling voice with striking and timely things to say about women, their bodies and the politics of control. Her story also has some uniquely British DNA, and it’s no coincidence that she has been compared to George Orwell. Even though it’s early days, we have high hopes for this project: the story is exceptionally strong, and it readily opens itself to diverse casting and distinctive visual styling.”

Atalla added: “I am delighted to be working with John, Laura and the team at Compact to bring my first novel to the screen. Even though we are just getting started, they have an incredible vision for my work and it’s an exciting prospect for me to turn the book into a screenplay and then see it come alive on screen. And it’s particularly satisfying to be doing all of this out of Scotland too!”