The Lady in the Van "The Lady in the Van" was greenlit on 3 June 2014, with TriStar Productions and BBC Films working together to make the film adaptation of Alan Bennett's West End hit. TriStar won the film rights to handle worldwide distribution, while the BBC was the first to show the film on television in the UK. The involvement of Maggie Smith and Nicholas Hytner was announced simultaneously with the film, but they were attached to the project as early as 9 May (coincidentally Bennett's 80th birthday). Both of them had collaborated with Bennett in the past; Hytner on "The Madness of King
The Lady in the Van It was released in UK theatres on 13 November 2015, while there was a limited theatrical release on 15 January 2016 in the US. The first trailer was released on 26 February 2015, followed by a teaser poster on 5 March. A new and extended trailer was released on 4 September. , "The Lady in the Van" has grossed $41.3 million worldwide; $31.3 million in the United Kingdom and $10.0 million in North America. "The Lady in the Van" received positive reviews, with particular praise being aimed at Smith's acting. Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a rating of 91%, based