Upcoming feature film Bad Bridgets is inspired by the acclaimed book Bad Bridget: Crime, Mayhem, and the Lives of Irish Emigrant Women by Professor Elaine Farrell from Queen’s University Belfast and Professor Leanne McCormick from Ulster University.
It has been reported that it will star Daisy Edgar-Jones (Twisters, Sense & Sensibility) and Emilia Jones (CODA, Task), and be directed by BAFTA-winner Rich Peppiatt (Kneecap), and be produced by LuckyChap Entertainment and Coup d’Etat Films, with support from Queen's University.
The film is set to be a portrayal of two sisters fleeing famine-stricken Ireland for the promise of a new life in 19th-century New York, to find themselves swept into a world of the 'Bridgets'.
Bad Bridgets is the cinematic evolution of the Bad Bridget Project, a groundbreaking research initiative funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. Led by Farrell and McCormick, the project explores the untold stories of Irish women in North America between 1838 and 1918, who came to the attention of the authorities for all the wrong reasons.
From sex work and infanticide to alcohol abuse and murder, the project sheds light on the complex realities faced by Irish emigrant women. These stories have been brought to life in a multi-sensory exhibition at the Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh, Co. Tyrone, and in a compelling podcast series produced by Queen’s University and Ulster University, featuring Derry Girls actor and presenter Siobhán McSweeney. New episodes of the podcast are available now on Spotify and Apple.
Professor Leanne McCormick from Ulster University commented:
"This project has always been about giving voice to forgotten and misunderstood female stories and the complexities of emigration. Our Bad Bridgets were sometimes the victims of their situations but many of the women and girls in our research also made choices to commit crimes. The film adaptation of Bad Bridgets will shine a light on the lives of Irish emigrant women, and we’re thrilled to see their stories brought to life by such a talented cast and creative team. It’s a powerful reminder of how history can speak to the present."
Professor Elaine Farrell from Queen’s University Belfast added:
“Our Bad Bridget research gives us glimpses of the intimate lives and personalities of Irish girls and women who ended up in the courtrooms, prisons and institutions of North America in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Their crimes were varied, as were their motives, and we have loved being able to tell some of their stories in our book, podcast and exhibition. We are thrilled that this major film will bring an aspect of Irish women’s history to the big screen’.”
It is reported that it will begin shooting in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in spring 2026, with Oscar-winning production designer James Price and renowned costume designer Kate Hawley attached. FilmNation is handling international sales, launching the project at the American Film Market, with WME Independent representing U.S. rights.
