Jim Sheridan hopes Irish ‘Pirate Queen’ film can be as big as Pirates of the Caribbean

Oscar-nominee Kirsten Sheridan (In America, Say Nothing) is making a movie about Irish rebel pirate Gráinne Ní Mháille.

During the conversation, we had to ask Sheridan about the upcoming Pirate Queen movie. First announced to be in the works last February, Jim Sheridan’s daughter, Oscar-nominee Kirsten Sheridan (In America, Say Nothing), is bringing the real-life story to the screen.

Having optioned renowned biographer Anne Chambers’ book about Gráinne Ní Mháille (also known as Grace O'Malley), the plot synopsis for Kirsten’s adaptation reads:

“The film will chronicle the extraordinary true story of a meeting between Queen Elizabeth I, the most powerful ruler in British history, and the fearless 16th-century Irish rebel pirate Grace O’Malley (Granuaile).

Kirsten has been developing the movie for years alongside Chambers, and there are also plans for a follow-up TV series.

Back in February, it was said that a production start in 2026 was being targeted for the project.

Kirsten Sheridan

When JOE spoke to Jim, we asked if the Pirate Queen film was still happening and if he was involved with the movie.

Kirsten and Jim have previously collaborated together as writers on the Oscar-nominated script for the 2002 drama film In America and as producers on the 2025 drama series Lockerbie.

In response, Jim said:

“No, I’m not involved, but yeah, [Kirsten’s] doing the Grace O’Malley pirate story that nearly everybody tried to do… John McColgan tried to do it on Broadway.

“I think it’s a difficult story. But if anybody’s going to tell it, it has to be a woman who’s telling the Pirate Queen.

“Yeah, hopefully it can be as big as the Johnny Depp ones.”

Jim Sheridan and Merriman also said they have written “a very strong script” for a film about the infamous Kerry Babies scandal.

Kirsten and Jim Sheridan in 2004

On this, Sheridan told JOE: “We started out with me saying to Dave it could be Joan of Arc remade with the actual words of the tribunal.

“We went down and we found the transcripts. He found them in the office of… Pat Mann, the solicitor.

“Then he started writing, and I started writing. We collaborated together, and the script came out good, I think.”

He also said: “Hopefully, we get Kerry Babies together in the next year or two. I’d love to do that.

“We want Joanne Hayes to be happy that we’re doing it, and my basic thing is to redeem the horrible injustice that was done to her, without bringing all the horrors of it back on her head.

“It’s a balance, but I managed to do that.”

Merriman, meanwhile, told JOE that he is working on an Irish remake of horror classic Night of the Living Dead starring John Connors. You can read about that here.

Re-Creation will be released exclusively in Omniplex cinemas from 3 October. Screenings will be followed by West Cork Murder: 2025 Case Analysis, a 30-minute filmed Q&A featuring Merriman and Sheridan, hosted by Jennifer Forde from the West Cork podcast.

Main image via Acast