James McAvoy leads explosive sky thriller based on Frankie Boyle's 'Meantime'

James McAvoy is stepping into one of his grittiest roles yet.

He is set to front Sky’s high-stakes adaptation of Frankie Boyle’s novel Meantime.

The X-Men star plays Felix McAveety, a full-time addict whose life spirals when his best friend is found murdered in a Glasgow park.

With police circling him as the prime suspect, Felix plunges into a haze of paranoia and intoxication, determined to clear his name.

Along the way, he teams up with an ageing ex-Detective Inspector turned crime novelist (Josette Simon) and a chaotic friend (Jamie Michie).

McAvoy is joined by a powerhouse cast including Benedict Wong, Mark Bonnar and Christopher Eccleston.

Boyle himself is adapting the novel with Neil Webster, produced by Happy Tramp North and Expectation in association with Sky Studios.

The series is directed by Jon S. Baird, with Eric Coulter producing and executive producers including Boyle, Webster, McAvoy, Baird and Sky’s Alex Moody.

Sky is expected to spotlight the series at a London event tonight, following the success of its Nick Cave adaptation The Death of Bunny Munro, which starred Matt Smith.