Boyle, now tipped for the big time by Hollywood, was already involved in his horror film 28 Days Later, while working intensively with Cottrell Boyce on the Millions script. Cottrell Boyce says: "I felt very confident about it. It may have been sold to the US just on the strength of Danny and the script.
"Danny suggested that I turn the script into a children's book. After he'd read the novel on holiday, he somehow got extra money to shoot new scenes from the book, so the book and film sort of cross-fertilised each other."
The only big name in the film - apart from Leslie Philips playing himself - is James Nesbitt, who shot to fame in the comedy romance series Cold Feet.
"Alun Armstrong is wonderful as St Peter and just strolls off with his part. It was generous of James Nesbitt to take on the role of father, as there's a lot of attention on the kids, but he does a great job. You also associate him with being funny. He's lovely to work with - a ray of sunshine," chuckles Cottrell Boyce.
"He comes from where my sister now lives in Northern Ireland and contacted her. As a result she put some flowers on his father's grave."
Cottrell Boyce feels more involved with Millions than any of his other screenplays. He says: "I've never cared so much about one film. I loved seeing all these actors dressed as saints wandering around a north Liverpool housing estate. We created the sets in Lee Manor, so you could say we built heaven in Netherley."
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