Jerusalem

The film is based on the life of artist-poet William Blake.

From Sunday Times article 31 October 2004: Taylor-Wood’s film will not be a straight biography of Blake, best known for writing Jerusalem and Tyger! Tyger! Burning Bright, as well as for his mystical engravings. She is intrigued by the similarities between Blake and veteran country singer Johnny Cash, nicknamed the Man in Black, who died last year.

From a Cape Times article 5 November 2004: In the full-length film version that is Taylor-Wood's next major project, Winstone will play the central role, while in a brilliant piece of casting Kristofferson will be God. The film will also contain another surprise. While being photographed for Crying Men, Kristofferson had found that the easiest way to well up for the camera was to think of his old pal Johnny Cash, who died last year. As it happens, Taylor-Wood is also a great fan of the Man in Black.

This too fed into the film. The way she now sees the Blake biopic is as an embodiment of the music and spirit of Johnny Cash. Just as Johnny Depp used Keith Richards to inspire his performance in Pirates of the Caribbean, so Ray Winstone is being asked to use Cash as "the blueprint" for William Blake. After all, they had much in common: they both dabbled with drugs and were interested in religion and ... well, loads of stuff.