Richard Curtis has been involved in some of the most successful British comedies over the past 20 years, from TV shows like Mr. Bean and The Black Adder, to movies like Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, and Bridget Jones’s Diary. Although he’s known primarily as a writer, he recently directed the film Love Actually, and now he’s heading back to the director’s chair once again for a movie called The Boat That Rocked.

The Boat That Rocked takes place in the 1960’s, at a time when pirate radio stations set up shop on boats anchored in the North Sea. I guess you could say it’s sort of like the Britcom version of Pump Up The Volume. While it looks like another typical Richard Curtis blend of comedy and romance, I have to say that I am intrigued not only by the period setting, but also the cast. Anyone who can successfully bring together Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Emma Thompson, Kenneth Branagh, Gemma Arterton, Rhys Darby and Nick Frost must be doing something right. The Boat That Rocked hits theatres on May 1st in the U.K. (the North American release is still TBD); check out the trailer below and see what you think.