Veteran actor Robert Carlyle has started production on his movie directorial debut, The Legend of Barney Thomson, a Canada-U.K. coproduction.

The theatrical drama is shooting in and around Glasgow, Scotland, with Carlyle also playing the title character of a downtrodden barber who stumbles into serial murder.

Barney Thomson’s mother is played by Emma Thompson, while Ray Winstone is in the role of a Glasgow police inspector in the black comedy of errors.

The Legend of Barney Thomson also stars Brian Pettifer, Tom Courtney, Martin Compston, James Cosmo, Ashley Jensen, Kevin Guthrie and Stephen McCole.

Carlyle earlier in his career directed episodes of the Syfy series Stargate Universe.

His movie directorial debut has been pre-bought by Pacific Northwest Pictures for the Canadian market, with Icon Film Distribution acquiring the U.K. rights.

Myriad Pictures is handling worldwide sales.

The Legend of Barney Thomson was adapted from a novel by Douglas Lindsay for the big screen by Colin McLaren and Richard Cowan.

The film is financed by Westerkirk Capital, Creative Scotland and Telefilm Canada.

Producer credits are shared by John G. Lenic, Kaleena Kiff, Brian Coffey, Holly Brydson and Cowan.

Kirk D’Amico is executive producer, while Emily Alden is a co-executive producer, and Doug Apatow is an executive producer.

– Robert Carlyle photo courtesy of  Shutterstock