News

Luke Hemsworth has joined the cast of Australian cop comedy Deadloch‘s second season on Prime Video.

The actor has been filming in his native Australia, joining leads Kate Box, Madeleine Sami, Nina Oyama and Alicia Gardiner in the comedy series, which has been hit for Amazon’s streaming service.

Hemsworth will play Jason Wade, creator and star of ‘Jason Wade’s Adventures Down Under’ and the owner of ‘Jason Wade’s Land of Crocs and Other Animals’ Wildlife Park.

The show follows Dulcie (Box) and Eddie (Sami), a pair of mismatched detectives. In the new season, they are investigating the death of Eddie’s former policing partner, Bushy. When a body is discovered in a remote town, they are flung into a new sweatier, stickier investigation.

Filming has wrapped in the croc-infested waters of the Northern Territories and moved to Brisbane’s studios in Queensland.

Exclusive: Greg McLean, director of the Australian drama series Territory, which is currently sitting at No. 3 on Netflix’s list of its Top 10 TV Shows in the U.S. after premiering October 24, has signed with Range Media Partners for management.

Billed as the Aussie version of Yellowstone, the six-part series follows the generational clashes that threaten to tear the Lawson family apart when Marianne Station is left without a clear successor. Sensing this once-great dynasty is in decline, the outback’s most powerful factions — rival cattle barons, desert gangsters, Indigenous elders and billionaire miners — move in for the kill. With billions of dollars at stake, everyone wants a piece of the pie.

Mclean launched his filmmaking career with the smash hit 2005 horror flick Wolf Creek, which he wrote and directed, after training as a fine artist and working as a director in theatre and opera. The film played at the...

“The Twelve,” a court-related drama series starring Sam Neill, has begun production of a third season. It was commissioned by Binge, a streaming platform operated by Australian pay-tv group Foxtel.

The show focuses on twelve jurors as they wrestle with their duty to deliver a verdict while also navigating their own personal issues. For the new season Neill returns in the role of Brett Colby Sc, as the jurors deliberate on a cold case murder trial.

The third season of eight one-hour episodes is written by Sarah L. Walker, Matt Cameron, Mia Lethbridge, Adele Vuko and Sam Meikle. The series will be set up directed by Madeleine Gottlieb and Mark Joffe (“Jack Irish”), with casting by Kirsty McGregor and Will Pearce. The producers are Hamish Lewis and Michael Brooks for Warner Bros. International Television Production Australia (Wbitvpa) and Ally Henville, Ian Collie and Rob Gibson for Easy Tiger, along with executive producers Sarah L.

Production for the third season of “The Twelve” has commenced in Western Australia, a collaboration between Warner Bros. International Television Production Australia and Easy Tiger. The new season will be set in the beautiful Margaret River region and Perth surrounds, including notable locations such as Parliament House and ABC Studios. Sam Neill will reprise his […]

Foxtel’s “The Twelve” Will Be Back for Third Season...

Exclusive: Wolf Creek director Greg McLean will write and direct The First Exorcist, a supernatural thriller out of Australia.

McLean’s Emu Creek Pictures is collaborating with Mark Fennessy’s Helium to make the pic, we can reveal. Production is set for Victoria, Australia, with a 2025 shoot date planned. Casting will follow.

The First Exorcist is billed as a “spellbinding fusion of religious and supernatural events set in Biblical times,” in which a mother goes on a harrowing quest to save her daughter from demonic possession. Plot reads: “As their lives descend into a nightmare, the mother learns of a mysterious healer with the power to expel demons, and embarks on a dangerous race against time – encountering hostile Roman authorities on her perilous mission to find the healer and save her daughter’s life.”

The plan is to use cutting edge virtual production tech in Victoria to bring epic ancient cities and locations to life.

Stars: Alyla Browne, Penelope Mitchell, Ryan Corr, Jett Berry, Kade Berry, Noni Hazlehurst, Robyn Nevin, Danny Kim, Silvia Colloca, Jermaine Fowler | Written and Directed by Kiah Roache-Turner

Sting is the new film from Australian writer/director Kiah Roache-Turner, the man behind the Mad Max meets Dawn of the Dead films Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead and its sequel Wyrmwood: Apocalypse as well as the over-the-top ghost hunting film Nekrotronic. All three of them were fun films that made good use of a small budget, so a big bug movie seemed like a good fit for his skills.

This time out, he’s traded his apocalyptic scenarios for the goings-on in the apartment building where an alien spider egg comes to rest after a trip through Earth’s atmosphere. It hatches, and its occupant is found by Charlotte, who dubs the creature Sting,

Charlotte is a rebellious twelve-year-old who lives there...

Prime Video has announced that the Australian Original The Office will premiere on October 18. The comedy series is the thirteenth version of the global hit juggernaut franchise and has the first-ever female lead in the iconic role, comedian and actor Felicity Ward who plays Hannah Howard, Managing Director of Flinley Craddick.

All eight episodes of The Office Australia will be available on October 18 exclusively on Prime Video in 240 countries and territories worldwide (excluding the U.S.) in the Prime membership.

Prime Video also released a first-look image from the series, which features an ensemble of Australian and New Zealand comedy talent. Starring alongside Felicity Ward is Edith Poor, Steen Raskopoulos, Shari Sebbens, and Josh Thomson.

Jonny Brugh, Susan Ling Young, Raj Labade (Appetite), Lucy Schmidt (The Pledge), Zoe Terakes, Pallavi Sharda (The Twelve), and Claude Jabbour round out the regular cast.

Susie Youssef, Justin Rosniiak, Carlo Ritchie (Mikki vs the World), Rick Donald,...

The Australian edition of “The Office” — the 13th global incarnation of the iconic comedy series — is taking shape, with Prime Video setting a release date and releasing a first-look at its lead, Felicity Ward.

The “Time Bandits” and “Wakefield” star will play Hannah Howard, managing director of packaging company Flinley Craddick and the first female lead of “The Office” franchise. All eight episodes will become available globally on Oct. 18 via Prime Video (excluding the U.S.).

Starring alongside Ward is an ensemble of Australian and New Zealand comedy talent. The cast includes Edith Poor (“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”), Steen Raskopoulos (“The Duchess”), Shari Sebbens (“The Sapphires”), Josh Thomson (“How to Please a Woman”), Jonny Brugh (“Thor: Love and Thunder”), Susan Ling Young (“Reckoning”, “Hungry Ghosts”), Raj Labade (“Appetite”), Lucy Schmidt (“The Pledge”), Zoe Terakes (“Talk to Me”), Pallavi Sharda (“The Twelve”) and Claude Jabbour (“Last King of the Cross”). Meanwhile,...

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ represents several milestones in the MCU. It marks Deadpool and Wolverine’s first entry into the cinematic universe and, as Feige noted, the beginning of a mutant era in the MCU.

While the X-Men are confirmed to be arriving in the upcoming live-action reboot, they’ll need a formidable villain to face. While we can only speculate on who that might be, recent rumors suggest that Wolverine could be heading down a dark path.

A few months ago, reports suggested that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was being considered for an MCU role around the same time his production company, Seven Bucks Productions, struck a deal with Disney. This deal means Seven Bucks Productions will collaborate across various Disney divisions, potentially featuring Johnson in prominent roles.

One of the projects rumored to involve Johnson is the X-Men live-action reboot, sparking fan speculation that he could be cast as Apocalypse,...

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ marked several important things in the MCU. It’s Deadpool’s & Wolverine’s first foray into the cinematic universe, but as Feige mentioned, it’s also the start of a mutant era in the MCU.

While we know that X-Men are coming via the upcoming live-action X-Men reboot, we know that they are going to need a villain to fight. We can only guess who that villain might be, but if some recent rumors are correct, we know that Wolverine is heading toward one dark path.

Several months back, Dwayne “The Rock’ Johnson was reportedly eyed for an MCU role, conveniently at around the same time his production house signed a deal with Disney, meaning that Seven Bucks Production will collaborate across all Disney divisions, and the projects may feature Johnson as a star.

One of the potential projects was the X-Men live-action reboot, and fans quickly...

Leighton Meester is making a return to TV in a new cop show from The CW, Roku, and Stan (an Australian streaming service)! Here’s what else to know about Good Cop/Bad Cop!

The CW has been in flux in the last few years thanks to some big behind-the-scenes changeovers from Nexster and the cancellation of scores of fun shows. The network is now into acquiring productions from Canada and other nations to boost themselves.

Such a series is Good Cop/Bad Cop. The plot focuses on Lou and Henry, a brother and sister pair of cops with a quirky relationship. They serve on the same police force in a Pacific Northwest town under the tough, demanding police chief, who happens to be their father.

Playing Lou is Leighton Meester, best known for her role as Blair Waldorf on The CW hit Gossip Girl. Henry is played by Luke Cook,...

Exclusive: More cast has been set for Good Cop/Bad Cop, the one-hour procedural dramedy starring Leighton Meester, Clancy Brown and Luke Cook.

Devon Terrell, Grace Chow, Blazey Best, Philippa Northeast, William McKenna, Shamita Siva and Scott Lee have all joined the series, which is for The CW and The Roku Channel in the U.S. and Stan in Australia.

They will join Meester and Cook, who play an odd couple brother and sister detective team Lou and Henry in a small Pacific Northwest police force who work under police chief Big Hank (Brown), who happens to be their father.

Terrell will play charming but nerdy Detective Shane Carson, Best will be Big Hank’s somewhat cryptic Russian girlfriend Nadia, Lee plays the loveable and long-tenured Officer Joe Bradley, McKenna is nervous wreck new boy Officer Sam Szczepkowski, Siva has been cast as fearless and overly devoted Officer Sarika Ray, Chow...

He is one of the world’s best actors – but can still go to Starbucks without anyone recognising him. He discusses cancer, remission, happiness, fame and video nasties

Sam Neill, 76, is speaking to me via Zoom from Vancouver, where he is filming Untamed, a new Netflix series. We’re here, though, to discuss the new season of The Twelve, a pacy Australian courtroom drama in which Neill plays barrister Brett Colby Sc. It’s a heightened murder mystery and subtle social commentary, and “the second series is considerably stronger than the first”, he says, rightly and also surprisingly, because it’s a little bit like saying the first season wasn’t very good. But then, he’s done enough time in this business that he’s allowed to say what he likes, within reason.

For instance, he doesn’t especially like the modern blockbuster: “Now we’re in the age of Marvel action films,...

What Do We Know About the second season of Wednesday? More thank you may think. The Jenna Ortega-led series by Tim Burton took the beloved characters from The Addams Family in an all-new direction. With casting announcements, plot twists from the first season, and more, we know what is to come. So, let’s jump in and discuss.

Season Two will bring back most of the main cast from the first season.

Ortega will be back as the title character alongside Emma Myers (Enid Sinclair), Joy Sunday (Bianca Barclay), Moosa Mostafa (Eugene), Georgie Farmer (Ajax), and Victor Dorobantu (Thing), Catherine Zeta-Jones (Morticia Addams), Luis Guzmán (Gomez Addams), Isaac Ordonez (Pugsley Addams), Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo (Deputy Ritchie Santiago) have all become series regulars. Jamie McShane (Sheriff Donovan Galpin) and Fred Armisen (Uncle Fester) will be back as guest stars, while Percy Hynes White (Xavier), Jamie McShane (Sheriff Donovan Galpin and...

Stuff the British Stole, the popular Australian-Canadian documentary series exploring the controversy surrounding cultural objects purloined by British colonialists, is set to be reimagined as a big-budget scripted heist series. The new version is backed by Warner Bros. International Television Production Australia (The Twelve, Love Me) and Wooden Horse (The Clearing, Mother & Son).

The partners describe the series, which will run for six, one-hour episodes, as “a provocative and sharply observed deep dive into the complexity of history, and identity, in our modern world through an irreverent and wryly humorous lens.”

The new drama is created and scripted by playwright turned rising TV writer Anchuli Felicia King, who wrote on HBO series The Sympathizer and The Baby, Amazon’s Deadloch and The Twelve for Foxtel. Ben Chessell (The Great, Giri Haji, Doctor Who, Deadloch) is attached to direct and also write episodes. The core creative team is joined by Kacie Anning (Class of ‘07, Upload,...

Exclusive: Stuff the British Stole, the Australian-Canadian doc series about the impact of British colonialism, is being remade as a six-part scripted heist caper.

Anchuli Felicia King, who wrote on HBO’s The Sympathizer and The Baby and Deadloch for Prime Video, is creating and writing the series, which is coming out of Australia and billed by producers as “an exploration of the the nuanced debate around repatriation through a sharply funny lens.”

Ben Chessell (The Great, Giri Haji, Doctor Who) is attached to direct and write episodes, with Kacie Anning and award-winning First Nations writer and playwright Dylan Van Den Berg also on the creative team.

Aussie indie Wooden Horse, which made Disney+ series The Clearing, is co-producing with Warner Bros International Television Production (Wbitvp) Australia, known for the likes of The Twelve, on which King was a writer, and Love Me.

Khavn De La Cruz, is a prolific Filipino filmmaker, writer, pianist, songwriter and composer. Since 1994 he has directed over 300 films including Squatterpunk (2006), Manila in the Fangs of Darkness (2008) and has collaborated with Alexander Kluge on films such as Orphea (2020) and Happy Lamento (2018), making him one of the most productive filmmakers in the Philippines and beyond. From 2002 to 2011, he was the festival director and programmer for Mov International Film, Music and Literature Festival. He has been a jury member at multiple festivals including the Berlinale and Leipzig Film Festival.

He has exhibited at the MoMA, Maxxi, Guggenheim Museum, Tate Modern, Museo Reina Sofia, National Museum of Singapore, and Venice Architecture Biennale; lectured at the Berlinale Talent Campus, Bela Tarr's Film Factory, Goethe Institute, the Danish Film Institute, and his alma mater, the Ateneo; and curated programmes for the Viennale, the Edinburgh International Film Festival and the Sharjah Biennial. Selected retrospectives of...

Sam Neill is joining Eric Bana for Netflix‘s upcoming limited series Untamed. The limited series project hails from Warner Bros. Television and studio-based John Wells Productions, described by Deadline as a character-driven mystery-thriller.

Mark L. Smith and Elle Smith wrote Untamed, which “follows Kyle Turner (Bana), a special agent for the National Parks Service who works to enforce human law in nature’s vast wilderness. The investigation of a brutal death sends Inman on a collision course with the dark secrets within the park, and in his own past.”

Sam Neill walks onto Untamed for the part of Paul Souter, a chief park ranger in Yosemite who’s spent most of his life patrolling the treasured national park. Paul is a faithful husband, father, grandfather, and friend to Kyle Turner. He is fearless in getting his hands dirty when it comes to upholding the park’s integrity, whether the...

Exclusive: Sam Neill is set to star opposite Eric Bana in Netflix’s limited series Untamed, from Warner Bros. Television and studio-based John Wells Productions.

Written by Mark L. Smith and Elle Smith, Untamed is a character-driven mystery-thriller that follows Kyle Turner (Bana), a special agent for the National Parks Service who works to enforce human law in nature’s vast wilderness. The investigation of a brutal death sends Turner on a collision course with the dark secrets within the park, and in his own past.

Neill will play Paul Souter who has been the chief park ranger in Yosemite for half his life. He’s a dedicated husband, father, grandfather, and friend to Turner (Bana). He’s comfortable in all facets of his job, whether it’s dealing with crime inside the park or with the bureaucracy around it.

Mark L. Smith and Elle...

Award-winning Australian series, The Twelve, returns with a brand-new season this July on Binge. Leaving the urban landscapes of Season One behind, the show takes us to the rural township of Tunkwell, introducing a fresh crime, a new jury, and a captivating mystery to unravel. In the idyllic rural setting, the peacefulness is shattered when […]

The Twelve Season 2: Award-Winning Australian Series Returns with a Bang This July on Binge...

The second season of Foxtel's The Twelve takes place against the backdrop of rural Western Australia, where a local landowner and respected town matriarch, Bernice Price (Kris McQuade), is found dead at the bottom of her farm’s pump well, leading two ex-lovers to stand accused of her murder.

The post ‘The Twelve’ (Season 2 Trailer) appeared first on If Magazine.

Production has begun on a second season of “Scrublands,” the Australian crime thriller series starring Luke Arnold (“Black Sails”) and Bella Heathcote.

With action set a year after the events of the first season, award-winning investigative journalist Martin Scarsden (Arnold) has returned to his coastal hometown, Port Silver, in Western Australia, to set up a new life with partner Mandy Bond (Heathcote). When he arrives to find his childhood friend Jasper brutally murdered and Bond the prime suspect, Scarsden struggles with doubts – about Bond and about his own ability to recognize the truth. As he pushes forward to find the real murderer and absolve Bond, Scarsden confronts secrets about Port Silver and his long-buried past.

The series is directed by Ben Young and written by Felicity Packard, Fiona Kelly and Jock Serong. It is based on “Silver,” the best-selling novel by Chris Hammer that is a sequel to the author’s “Scrublands” title.

Exclusive: Luke Carroll (The Artful Dodger), Debra Lawrance (Please Like Me) and David Roberts (Please Like Me) are among the new stars of Australian drama Scrublands, which is gearing up for its second season on Stan and 9 Network.

Also starring alongside returning leads Luke Arnold and Bella Heathcote in Scrublands: Silver are Tasma Walton (The Twelve), Luke Pegler (Hacksaw Ridge), Caroline Brazier (Year Of), Joel Jackson (Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door), Toby Truslove (La Brea), Sarah Roberts (Home and Away), Hamish Michael (The Twelve), Radek Jonak (The Surfer) and Damian De Montemas (Hounds of Love).

Above you can see an exclusive first-look image of season 2, with filming now underway in Augusta, Western Australia.

The season is being adapted from author Chris Hammer’s novel ‘Silver’, and here are some new plot details: A year after the life changing events of season 1, investigative journalist Martin Scarsden (Arnold...

In NBC's The Hunting Party, dangerous killers escape a top-secret prison that's not supposed to exist, kicking off a heart-pounding and adventurous procedural.

Melissa Roxburgh leads the small team of investigators who assemble to track down and capture these dangerous criminals around the country.

Meet the Hunting Party Season 1 cast and characters below:

Melissa Roxburgh (Rebecca 'Bex Henderson)

Bex Henderson is the main character of The Hunting Pary, an ex-fbi agent hired to an elite government task force because she's profiled and caught some of the world's serial killers before.

Bex is described as wise and extremely curious.

These skills should help her be a good leader for her team.

Melissa Roxburgh is best known for portraying Det Michaela Stone in NBC's Manifest from 2018 to 2023.

Roxburgh commented that she felt she had many traits in common with her character, Michaela Stone.

Her dad is a minister, so her religious...

NBC has always been known for crime procedurals, so it's no surprise they have given another one a series order.

The Hunting Party is a new crime procedural set to premiere at midseason in 2025.

It's a high-concept procedural that promises intrigue and action with a list of well-known actors. Here is what we know about the series so far.

What is The Hunting Party?

The Hunting Party is a crime procedural about a team of investigators who track down and capture dangerous killers who have recently escaped from a top-secret prison that's not supposed to exist.

Crime procedurals have become the most popular Primetime television, so The Hunting Party should fit right in.

NBC is one of the networks launching the most new scripted content. In the fall, the network plans to air a medical drama, Brilliant Minds, starring Zachary Quinto from Star Trak, and a medical mockumentary called St. Denis Medical,...

Exclusive: Australia is set to welcome some of the biggest names in Hollywood to a new industry conference, Future Vision.

Beef creator Lee Sung Jin, The Bear co-showrunner Joanna Calo and Big Little Lies producer Bruna Papandrea will feature at the event, which will be held in Melbourne on July 15-17. The summit is the latest globally-focused TV event on the crowded international calendar.

More speakers are set to be announced shortly, with the event streaming live around the world. Future Vision has been created with support from Australians in Film, Screen Australia and VicScreen, with Papandrea and The Slap showrunner Tony Ayres the co-chairs and Rebecca Yeldham, who led the content team at MasterClass, the Creative Director.

The Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning Lee created, wrote, executive produced and directed Netflix miniseries Beef, which starred Steven Yeun and Ali Wong, who also won acting prizes for the series.

La Brea alum Josh McKenzie is set as a series regular in NBC‘s new drama series The Hunting Party, joining previously announced Melissa Roxburgh, Patrick Sabongui and Sara Garcia, Deadline has confirmed.

Created by JJ Bailey who wrote the pilot episode, The Hunting Party is a high-concept crime procedural about a small team of investigators who are assembled to track down and capture the most dangerous killers our country has ever seen, all of whom have just escaped from a top-secret prison that’s not supposed to exist.

McKenzie will play Shane Florence. Selfless, sincere and charismatic, Shane is a former soldier in Iraq and a prison guard at a highly classified facility.

The Hunting Party, which received a straight-to-series order, is executive produced by Bailey and Jake Coburn who are writing and co-showrunning together. Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, is the studio.

McKenzie is coming...

“La Brea” star Josh McKenzie is returning to NBC. Variety has learned exclusively that the actor has joined the network’s upcoming drama series “The Hunting Party.”

The show was picked up to series back in February. McKenzie will star alongside previously announced cast members Melissa Roxburgh (herself an alumna of NBC’s “Manifest”), Sara Garcia, and Patrick Sabongui.

The logline for the series states it is “a high-concept crime procedural about a small team of investigators who are assembled to track down and capture the most dangerous killers our country has ever seen, all of whom have just escaped from a top-secret prison that’s not supposed to exist.”

McKenzie will star as Shane Florence, described as “Selfless, sincere and charismatic. Shane is a former soldier in Iraq and a prison guard at a highly classified facility.”

McKenzie played Lucas Hayes throughout “La Brea’s” three season run at NBC.

The creepiness and kookiness that became Netflix‘s new hit show and solidified Jenna Ortega as the next big thing has started production for season 2. The streaming giant has announced the commencement of filming for Wednesday in Ireland with a cast photo and news of added cast members. Fan-favorite Thing delivered new scripts to the cast on set – you can view the video Here. Thing also takes center stage on Netflix’s newly launched Tik Tok channel, aka “Thing Tok,” dedicated to all things Wednesday from Thing’s unique perspective.

Some of the actors who appeared in season one have been upgraded to series regulars, including Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzmán, Isaac Ordonez and Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo. New series regulars also include Steve Buscemi, Billie Piper, Evie Templeton, Owen Painter and Noah Taylor. The guest stars for season 2 will include the original Fester from the 90s movies Christopher Lloyd, Joanna Lumley,...

Today, Netflix announced the start of production on Wednesday Season 2 in Ireland with several new cast members joining the series. The streaming service released a video in which fan-favorite Thing delivers new scripts to cast members on set.

Thing also takes center stage on Netflix’s newly launched TikTok channel, aka “Thing Tok,” which is dedicated to all things Wednesday from Thing’s unique perspective.

The returning cast members upped to series regulars include Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzmán, Isaac Ordonez, and Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo.

The new series regulars include Steve Buscemi, Billie Piper, Evie Templeton, Owen Painter, and Noah Taylor.

The new guest stars include Christopher Lloyd, Joanna Lumley, Thandiwe Newton, Frances O’Connor, Haley Joel Osment, Heather Matarazzo, and Joonas Suotamo.

“We are thrilled that the entire Addams family will be enrolling in Nevermore Academy this season along with a dream cast of icons and new faces,” said the series’ creators,...

“Wednesday” Season 2 is officially in production in Ireland, with Netflix revealing the full cast for the new season of the hit series.

Jenna Ortega will of course be returning as Wednesday Addams, while Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzmán, Isaac Ordonez, and Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo will all be upped to series regulars for Season 2. Zeta-Jones plays Morticia, while Guzmán plays Gomez and Ordonez plays Pugsley. Emma Myers, Joy Sunday, Hunter Doohan, Victor Dorobantu, Moosa Mostafa, and Georgie Farmer will also be returning, as will Fred Armisen and Jamie McShane in guest roles.

Noticeably absent from the announcement is Percy Hynes White, who starred in Season 1 as Xavier Thorpe. In 2023, Hynes White decried a “campaign of misinformation” after allegations of sexual assault were made against him on social media.

Other new series regulars include: Billie Piper, Evie Templeton, Owen Painter and Noah Taylor.

In addition, Netflix has now confirmed that Steve Buscemi will...

Stars: Alyla Browne, Penelope Mitchell, Ryan Corr, Jett Berry, Kade Berry, Noni Hazlehurst, Robyn Nevin, Danny Kim, Silvia Colloca, Jermaine Fowler | Written and Directed by Kiah Roache-Turner

Sting is the new film from Australian writer/director Kiah Roache-Turner, the man behind the Mad Max meets Dawn of the Dead films Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead and its sequel Wyrmwood: Apocalypse as well as the over-the-top ghost hunting film Nekrotronic. All three of them were fun films that made good use of a small budget, so a big bug movie seemed like a good fit for his skills.

This time out, he’s traded his apocalyptic scenarios for the goings-on in the apartment building where an alien spider egg comes to rest after a trip through Earth’s atmosphere. It hatches, and its occupant is found by Charlotte, who dubs the creature Sting,

Charlotte is a rebellious twelve-year-old who lives there...

Jessica Mauboy, star of 2013 Australian breakout hit “The Sapphires,” returns to a leading film role for the first time in over a decade in family feature “Windcatcher.”

Directed by Tanith Glynn-Maloney, from a screenplay by Boyd Quakawoot, the film is branded as a Stan Original and will play on the Australia-only streamer from March 28.

Set in a small country town, “Windcatcher” follows the unlikely friendship between Percy Boy, newcomer Keithy Cobb and the spirited Daisy Hawkins, as they band together to take the local school sports day title from a group of grade five bullies. But as Percy Boy trains with the help of his mates, he then discovers his supernatural ability to see lost souls – a gift passed down from his grandfather. Percy Boy must overcome his fears, prove his resilience and become a force to be reckoned with.

Mauboy, who is an iconic figure in Australian entertainment has...

Exclusive: Superstore star Ben Feldman will lead Australian comedy crime caper Population 11.

Lionsgate, streamer Stan and Phil Lloyd and Trent O’Donnell from No Activity producer Jungle Entertainment have teamed for the 12-part series ahead of a March 14 launch in Australia.

The series, which Jungle produces Entertainment in association with Factor 30 Films, has been quietly shooting in Western Australia’s Kimberley Region. We’ve now got full cast details, a trailer (see below) and first-look images.

Based on true events, the series is based around a man, Hugo, who goes missing from a tiny outback town of only 12 residents. His son, Andy Pruden (Feldman), a suburban Ohio bank teller, has journeyed across the world to visit and is alarmed when he discovers he is missing. Andy teams with another outsider Cassie (Perry Mooney) on a quest to find his father, and the pair find themselves in increasing danger as they...

Exclusive: Producers Ian Collie and Rob Gibson are best known for helping bring an injured mongrel dog into the global consciousness in Colin From Accounts. Ahead of a busy 2024, the pair sat down with Deadline to chat about plans for their Easy Tiger Productions imprint, the state of TV in Australia and signing with CAA.

And where else to start, but with Colin From Accounts, Australian streamer Binge’s romantic sitcom series written by and starring real-life couple Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer. Over the weekend, the critically acclaimed show, winner of the Most Outstanding Comedy Program at the Logies, went into production on Season 2 after a delay primarily caused by the U.S. writers strike.

Gibson was first alerted to what would become Colin just after leaving his post as Head of Originals at Binge rival Stan. “Harriet had given me the script as a writing sample for another show,...

Nicole Kidman is providing $50,000 of her own money for a TV industry award named in honor of an Australian executive who died earlier this year.

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) is to present the newly-created Brian Walsh Award for Emerging Talent at its annual award ceremony in February. The award aims to discover and nurture the next generation of Australian actors.

The award pays homage to the late Brian Walsh, one of Australia’s most admired screen creatives, who left a lasting impact on the entertainment industry, both in Australia and internationally. He died suddenly in March at the age of 67.

Walsh began his career in radio and later took up leadership roles at Ten in Australia and Sky in the U.K. He spent some 28 years at Australian pay-tv leader Foxtel, during which time he commissioned iconic series such as “Wentworth,” “The Twelve,” “Colin From Accounts...

Exclusive: Alison Hurbert-Burns, content chief at Colin From Accounts streamer Binge, has told Deadline “the proof is in the pudding” as the platform’s Australian pay-tv parent Foxtel unveiled its 2024 slate today.

In an exclusive interview ahead of the slate reveal, Binge Executive Director Hurbert-Burns talked up the reach of the streaming platform and Foxtel, which is Australia’s leading pay service.

“I’m a believer in the proof being in the pudding and the good content finding its way through,” she said. “The differentiator for us is we don’t do anything unless it’s exceptional, and we have nearly 30 years of proving that ambition.”

Foxtel launched in 1995 and has been in its current form, with News Corp as majority owner, since 2018. Binge launched during the pandemic in May 2020 and has quickly established itself as a major player in original content in Australia. The CBS Studios and Easy Tiger...

Sam Neill, who’s faced cloned dinosaurs and the literal antichrist in his movies, is not merely afraid of dying from blood cancer as he is of retirement in real life.

In a new interview with Australian Story, the celebrated actor spoke about his battle with non-Hodgkin blood cancer, which he was diagnosed with last year. Neill is currently in remission thanks to a drug he started taking after his chemotherapy treatments stopped working. But despite the success, Neill’s doctors have warned him the drug will stop working at some point.

Sam Neill has revealed that his year-long remission from stage three blood cancer is likely temporary, as the chemotherapy drug he is currently receiving will eventually stop working.

In an interview with Australian Story, the actor shared that he’s made peace with his mortality because it’s out of his control. Instead, Neill is more concerned about making the most of the time he does have left.

“I’m not in any way frightened of dying,” he said. “That’s never worried me from the beginning. But I would be annoyed because there are things I still want to do.”

This past March, Neill revealed his initial attempts at chemotherapy for angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma were unsuccessful, but switching to his current treatment caused his cancer to go into remission.

Australian Story described Neill’s treatments as like going “10 rounds with a boxer,” making the few days after feel “very grim and depressing.

Exclusive: CAA has signed Rob Gibson and Ian Collie and their production company Easy Tiger for representation.

Launched in Sydney, Easy Tiger’s recent credits include comedy series Colin From Accounts, which has been renewed for a second season in Australia and the UK, and will premiere in the U.S. on Paramount+.

Easy Tiger is also behind the award-winning Foxtel/Fifth Season/ITV courtroom drama series The Twelve starring Sam Neill, which is now in production on Season 2, as well as the Paramount+ series One Night starring Jodie Whittaker; Netflix’s outback drama series Desert King, now in production; Scrublands, the crime drama series premiering on Stan (Australia) and the BBC later this year; and the true crime docuseries The Hunt for the Family Court Killer, which will launch on Network Ten/Paramount+ later this year.

Easy Tiger recently won a record-breaking six awards at the 2023 Logies, Australia’s premier television awards,...

Trailer

Netflix has unveiled the first trailer for “Jaane Jaan,” “Kahaani” filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh‘s Indian adaptation of Japanese author Higashino Keigo’s bestselling 2005 novel “The Devotion of Suspect X.”

The cast is led by Bollywood royalty Kareena Kapoor Khan and also includes Jaideep Ahlawat (“Paatal Lok”) and Vijay Varma (“Dahaad”).

The film follows a single mother and her daughter who commit a crime and a neighbor who helps them cover it up amidst a police investigation.

The novel has been adapted numerous times including in Japan as “Suspect X” (2008), in Korea as “Perfect Number” (2012) and in China as “The Devotion of Suspect X” (2017). A Hollywood version is in development.

“Jaane Jaan” is produced by 12th Street Entertainment and Northern Lights Films in association with Kross Pictures and Balaji Motion Pictures. Producers include Jay Shewakramani, Akshai Puri , Hyunwoo Thomas Kim, Shobha Kapoor and Ekta R. Kapoor.

Kapoor Khan said: “This...

Twelve Times Two

Production is under way on season two of “The Twelve,” a crime drama which follows a controversial murder trial as seen through the lens of the 12 jury members, ordinary members of the public with their own realities and struggles. On completion, it will screen on Foxtel’s Binge streaming service. International distribution is by Fifth Season. Western Australia premier Roger Cook said that the “The Twelve S2” is the largest ever production in the state.

As previously announced, Sam Neill and Frances O’Connor (“The End,” “AI”) reprise their roles as senior lawyers.

Joining them is an all-star Australian cast including: Tasma Walton (“Mystery Road,” “Sweet As”), Kris McQuade (“Rosehaven”), Amy Mathews (“A Place to Call Home”), Erroll Shand (“The Clearing”), Fayssal Bazzi (“Shantaram”), Josh McKenzie (“La Brea”), Anthony Brandon Wong (“Queen of Oz”), Stefanie Caccamo (“Fighting Season”), Sharon Johal (“Neighbours,” “Shantaram”), Luke Pegler (“Ladies In Black”), Adriano Cappelletta...

Susan Sarandon, playing the U.S. Secretary of State Alaska Adams, gets the better of Bryan Brown, as the Australian prime minister, in a fast-paced verbal duel that represents the first footage from the Sean Penn-produced satirical comedy series “C*A*U*G*H*T.”

An elite team of Aussie soldiers is sent to an island nation to retrieve a secret file that has gone astray. Mistaken for Americans, they are captured by freedom fighters and produce a hostage video that goes viral. When the soldiers achieve celebrity status on social media, they realize that being caught might just be the best thing that could’ve happened to them.

“C*A*U*G*H*T” explores themes of identity, fame, and the absurdity of the viral age. “Why can’t we comedically deconstruct the intellectual ideas that humanity is facing right now?” says Kick Gurry who directs, produces and stars in the six-part series.

Logies Load Up On ‘The Twelve’, ‘Colin From Accounts’

Australia’s annual celebration of TV this weekend named Sam Neill as the country’s most popular actor for his role in courtroom drama series “The Twelve.” The Foxtel and Binge show was the numerical winner on the evening in a tie with Binge’s “Colin From Accounts.” Both shows picked up a trio of awards. Sonia Kruger was named Australia’s most popular TV personality for her roles on “The Voice,” “Dancing With the Stars” and “The Masked Singer.”

2023 Logies Winners List

Gold Logie for most popular personality on Australian TV: Sonia Kruger, “The Voice,” “Dancing with the Star” and “Big Brother,” Seven Network

Bert Newton Award for most popular presenter: Tony Armstrong, “A Dog’s World” with Tony Armstrong, ABC

Silver Logie: Most popular Australian actor: Sam Neill, “The Twelve,” Foxtel & Binge

Silver Logie: Most popular Australian actress: Kitty Flanagan,...

With the overseas success of series such as 'Colin From Accounts', 'The Twelve' and 'Love Me', Foxtel chief commercial and content officer Amanda Laing - fresh from LA Screenings - reports that it is increasingly being looked at as an international co-production partner of choice.

The post Foxtel’s Amanda Laing gives a debrief of LA Screenings appeared first on If Magazine.

“The Twelve,” an award-winning Australian crime drama series, has been greenlighted for a second season. It is backed by the Foxtel group and its streaming brand Binge.

The show follows a controversial murder trial seen through the lens of the jurors, twelve ordinary Australians who are facing their own realities and struggles.

The first season received ten nominations, and won three Aacta Awards in 2022 including best miniseries. In recent days, it became the most nominated drama series at the 63rd TV Week Logie Awards.

Season two of “The Twelve” will be eight 1-hour episodes written by Sarah Walker, Anchuli Felicia King, Anya Beyersdorf and Anna Barnes. Local authorities in Western Australia described it as the state’s “biggest-ever screen production,” but divulged no specifics on budget. Filming will take place in the Wheatbelt and Metropolitan regions and create over 100 local jobs, the state government said.

The series will be setup...

Prime Video Australia is remaking The Office as a female-led comedy starring stand-up Felicity Ward in the role Ricky Gervais first made famous.

Gervais’ David Brent will become Hannah Howard in the series, with Ward putting her own spin on bad team management at packaging company Flinley Craddick. When she gets news from Head Office that they will be shutting down her branch and making everyone work from home, she goes into survival mode, making promises she can’t keep in order to keep her ‘work family’ together.

Ward is best known as a stand-up and for ABC series Spicks and Specks and The Ronnie Johns Half Hour. She also appeared in Wakefield and The Inbetweeners.

Additional cast includes Edith Poor (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Power of the Dog), Steen Raskopoulos (The Duchess, Feel Good), Shari Sebbens (The Sapphires, Thor: Love and Thunder), Josh Thomson...

“The Office” comedy franchise will see middle management led by a woman for the first time in an Australian version that will play on Amazon’s Prime Video.

Australian comedian and actor Felicity Ward will portray Hannah Howard, the MD of packaging company Flinley Craddick in “The Office Australia.” In a post-covid plot twist, Howard gets news from head office that her branch will be shutting down and that staff will have to work from home. She goes into survival mode, making promises she can’t keep and launches outlandish plots in order to keep her “work family” together.

The Australian adaptation is the 13th iteration of the show that was originally created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. Other international retreads have included those in France, Canada, Chile, Israel and the Middle East.

Filming of the eight-part series will commence in Sydney in June. Production is by Prime Video,...

ITV’s digital business is starting to build. The UK network’s revenue from the segment was up £24M ($30.2M) to £106M in the first quarter of 2022 on a year-on-year comparison, a 49% uptick.

Streaming hours were also up 128 million following the move to switch its main digital service from ITV Hub to Itvx, which has launched a slate of original such as Nolly and A Spy Among Friends.

However, the Love Island and Malpractice broadcaster saw its overall external revenues dip 7% from £834M a year ago to £776M this quarter. Within that, Media and Entertainment was down £50M to £495M and ITV Studios was basically flat at £457M.

The M&e division houses the ITV network, which remains reliant on the volatile TV ad market, while ITV Studios key deliveries for the quarter included Nolly, Django for Sky, Big Beasts for AppleTV+ and Queer Eye for Netflix.

“ITV Studios continues to demonstrate significant strategic momentum,...

U.K. broadcasting giant ITV’s revenues dipped in the first quarter of 2023, but streamer Itvx has seen a growth uptick, according to figures released on Thursday.

The financial and operating performance for the three months to March 31 was “as expected,” ITV said, with total external revenue down 7% at £776 million ($979 million), compared to £834 million ($1.05 billion) over the same period in 2022.

Revenue at production unit ITV Studios was flat at £457 million (2022: £458 million). Deliveries in the U.K. and internationally included “Nolly” for Itvx, “Django for Sky,” Big Beasts for AppleTV+ and “Queer Eye” for Netflix.

ITV’s media and entertainment revenue was down 9% at £495 million (2022: £545 million), with total advertising revenue down 10%, which the broadcaster says is “better than the wider TV advertising market.” Within this, digital advertising revenue was up 30% at £87 million compared to the same period in 2022.

Free ad-funded streamer Itvx was the strong performer with total digital...