Based on the cult novel written by John Niven (who also penned the screenplay), the movie is a dark comedy satirizing the music industry in the late 1990s, with an anti-hero protagonist, A & R agent Steven Stelfox. Damien will be appearing as Ross, described in the book as ‘Head of Marketing’ ‘in his early thirties’ and part of the team surrounding Stelfox (played by Nicholas Hoult), who accompany him “slashing and burning his way through the music business… Fuelled by greed, ambition and inhuman quantities of drugs..”

So, what do we know about Ross and what do we know about the film so far?

1. True to the book

Kill Your Friends is a no-holds-barred, hilarious and dark debauch-fest, portraying Stelfox’s hedonistic inner and outer worlds, while he and his team conduct their drug-fuelled careers with varying success in a fickle, cut throat music industry. The book’s protagonist is unrelentingly shocking, offensive and increasingly psychotic, and rumour has it the movie adaptation is not going to be toning anything down.

In a piece for the Daily Record, John Niven hinted at one particular scene:

It was also very pleasing, from a practical point of view, to sit in a production meeting and hear the words, “OK, so for that scene we’re going to need cocaine, a severed limb, a urine rig and lots of blood.”

and commented on the film’s release in cinemas:

I’ll be the one at the back, shouting “I am John Niven and I deeply apologise for all this filth.”

Tom Riley, who plays Stelfox’s nemesis Parker-Hall, confirmed on his Twitter page that the film has not been “toned down.”

2. Top Cast

Alongside Nicholas Hoult, the film has a top cast including Roseanna Arquette, Georgia King, James Corden, Tom Riley, Jim Piddock, Ella Smith and also two of Damien’s former co-stars, Craig Roberts (Being Human) who plays Darren and Joseph Mawle (Ripper Street) who plays Trellick. Both characters appear with Ross in some of the book’s funniest scenes.

3. DaMo on the Dance floor

In the book, some of Stelfox and his crews’ funniest (and most outrageous) moments come at clubs, music festivals and ‘conferences’ (code for depraved levels of partying) and we were delighted to learn from co-star Georgia King earlier in the year that Damien will be bringing the dance moves as Ross.

4. Britpop and sideburns
In a departure from the book – where Ross is described as having a “businesslike crew cut” – Damien will be rocking a pair of majestic sideburns in the film, set at the height of the Britpop era. Here he is photographed at a WordTheatre event shortly after filming.

5. Memorable moments, Indelible lines

Although he is not in every major scene, Ross has some unforgettable moments in the book (as well as the dancing, one involving a bathtub..) and if the movie is to be as faithful to its origins as suggested, Damien may well be delivering some of the most indelible lines. (No spoilers here, but reading the book is advised!)

So what can we conclude from all of the above?

~ Jaws will hit the floor with this film, and like the book (which has been compared to American Psycho), it has the potential to become a cult smash.

~ Unless some serious editing occurs – which would compromise the eyepopping ride that Kill Your Friends is in its very essence – the film has to receive an 18 (UK) NC-17 (US) classification.

~ Damien will be appearing on the big screen with some of our favourite former co-stars of his, as a character who has some significant moments in the book, some of them hilarious, some truly outrageous. He will be delivering some potentially scandalous lines, highly likely in a London accent, definitely with a Britpop hairstyle.

We eagerly anticipate seeing Damien on the big screen for the first time, when the film is released in March next year.

Kill Your Friends is directed by Owen Harris, produced by Gregor Cameron (UNIGRAM), Will Clarke (Altitude Film Entertainment) and Len Blavatnik (AI Film and Warner Music Group) and will be released in the UK by STUDIOCANAL March 2015, international release tba.

To buy John Niven’s novel on which the film is based visit our Amazon UK or Amazon US stores.

To comment on Damien in Kill Your Friends, click here.

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