Speaking to Deadline about the project, Sir Anthony said: “This is a powerful and profoundly beautiful story, one that allows me to return to my Welsh roots while exploring the remarkable vision and prose of Dylan Thomas.”
The film’s director DJ Caruso called it “one of the great honours of my directorial life” to bring Thomas’ story to life alongside Sir Anthony.
The project’s script, which began production in Wales this month, was written by Ken Aguado.
A Visit to Grandpa’s, first published in 1938, tells the story of a young boy expecting to be bored when visiting his grandfather in the Carmarthenshire countryside, but instead finds himself enthralled by the adventure – notably as the villagers become concerned about his grandfather going to Llanstephan “with his waistcoat on”.
The short story made its way into Thomas’ best-known collection of short stories, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog, which was published in 1940.
Singer-songwriter Bob Dylan – born Robert Allen Zimmerman – took his stage name from Thomas, while former US president Jimmy Carter had a life-long passion for his work.
Taylor Swift also name-dropped the poet in her 2024 album, The Tortured Poets Department.