‘Scrublands’: Luke Arnold, Bella Heathcote & Jay Ryan To Lead Stan And Nine Network Drama Series Based On Chris Hammer Novel
27.02.2023 - 01:05
/ deadline.com
EXCLUSIVE: Luke Arnold, Bella Heathcote and Jay Ryan are set to lead Scrublands, a TV adaptation of Chris Hammer’s novel for Australian streamer Stan.
We’ve learned production in underway in Victoria, Australia on the crime series, which is a co-commission of the Nine Network and its streamer Stan. Easy Tiger, which optioned rights to the story back in 2018, is producing in association with VicScreen.
Scrublands is set in isolated country town Riversend brought to its knees by endless drought, where a charismatic and dedicated young priest (Jay Ryan) calmly opens fire on his congregation, killing five parishioners. A year later, investigative journalist Martin Scarsden (Luke Arnold) arrives to write what should be a simple feature story on the anniversary of the tragedy but when his instincts kick in and he digs beneath the surface, the previously accepted narrative begins to fall apart and he finds himself in a life and death race to uncover the truth.
Zane Ciarma (Neighbours), Adam Zwar (Squinters), Victoria Thaine (Nowhere Boys), Robert Taylor (The Newsreader), Stacy Clausen (True Spirit), Genevieve Morris (No Activity) and newcomer Ella Ferris have also been cast.
Greg McLean is directing and Felicity Packard, Kelsey Munro and Jock Serong are writing. East Tiger’s Ian Collie and Rob Gibson, David Redman and Packard are producing and Michael Healy and Andy Ryan from the Nine Network and Cailah Scobie and Amanda Duthie from Stan are executive producers.
Jack Irish and Rake maker Easy Tiger is leading production and UK-based distributor Abacus Media Rights is handling international sales.
The series marks the second co-commission between Nine Network and Stan, following on from Bali 2002, which explored how everyday