Development of ‘Come From Away’ film adaptation paused amid COVID-19, say creators

TORONTO —
Plans to turn “Come From Away” into a big-screen movie musical have been indefinitely placed on hold, say the Canadian writers behind the Broadway hit.

David Hein and Irene Sankoff were well into the script stages of their film adaptation when they say COVID-19 delivered an unexpected blow to the production plans.

“Come From Away” is inspired by the real-life story of residents in Gander, N.L., who hosted thousands of unexpected guests whose flights were forced to land in the small town after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Shooting on the East Coast was always a stipulation of a movie adaptation for the creators, but Sankoff says pandemic restrictions and closed borders made moving forward a risky financial prospect.

But the couple says they remain hopeful their script will eventually be turned into a movie.

In the meantime, they’ve struck a deal with Apple TV Plus to bring a filmed version of the live Broadway show to the streaming service on Sept. 10.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 25, 2021.