Alan Partridge actor hopes film centred around famous Blackpool achievement can be the next Full Monty

The upcoming project will focus on the Matthews Final, and a group of fans behind the success of that day - The Atomic Boys, as the Seasiders lifted the 1953 FA Cup following a 4-3 victory over Bolton Wanderers.

Film production company Raised By Robots, along with producers Laurence Jones and David Beresford, have been working closely with the club for over a year concerning this story.

David Schneider, who is best known for his work on Alan Partridge and other projects alongside Armando Iannucci, has been recruited to write the screenplay - with the process currently well under way.

Discussing the project, he said: “It’s not the kind of story that I normally write, but as I looked at it more it’s so about people, passion and community. As a film writer the arc is there with the FA Cup final in 1953. Is it dramatic? Err- yes. And then the producers came to me with the Atomic Boys angle, it made it more interesting.

“Blackpool is like Las Vegas, Disneyland and Ibiza all rolled into one. There was so much going on as I thought about it. It’s lazy in a way, I don’t have to do so much work. You know it’s interesting when you think: ‘Why hasn’t anyone done this?’

“There’s two ways to do it. Tell it as a Stanley Matthews story, which would work, but you can also tell it as a story about the community, the fans, and the people of Blackpool - which excited me as well.

“The main character is based on Syd Bevers, who was the guy who founded the Atomic Boys. He wanted to bring colour into this world that still had rationing and austerity post-war. He’s clearly someone that’s very charismatic and funny, so he’s at the centre of it.

“I wanted it to be like The Full Monty or Billy Elliot where there’s heart as well. It’s not just about the football or the fun. There’s a lot of comedy in it, but there’s a lot of people that have just fought in the war.

“We’ve done a tour of the Winter Gardens and the Tower and it gave us a sense of the immenseness of Blackpool and the sheer jaw-dropping entertainment that was on offer. As a comedy writer, it lends you to so many characters. In a way there’s too much and you’ve got to trim it down.”

Schneider, along with producer Jones, recently attended Blackpool’s 2-2 draw with Huddersfield Town.

During that time, they caught up with Seasiders owner Simon Sadler, who has backed the project.

“He has really supported and encouraged us - he’s very interested, which has given us a real boost,” Schneider added.

“There’s a sense where people talk Blackpool down now, so I’m interested in showing its history and what it still can be. That sense of community is still there and still worth celebrating.

“The Atomic Boys represented Blackpool in a way, with that fun side and pushing against the grey, restrictive world they were in, which made the neutral excited. There’s a story about them meeting Winston Churchill before the final, who knows what was said, but we’ve written some stuff.

“It’s that sense of fun that made the football club and the town very different.”

Subject to the raising of the full production budget, the project will aim to enter pre-production in the second half of this, with the 2026 FA Cup final set as a target for if everything does go to plan and a sharp turnaround can be achieved.

Filming is planned to take place in Blackpool and across the North West, and it is hoped that the region can play a major part.

There is also a hope that a documentary on the real Atomic Boys can also be released, with Raised By Robots hoping fans can share their stories and accompanying images - which can be sent to [email protected].