Iconic Australian film Romper Stomper to be recharged as Stan Original TV series

01 08 2017 - Media release Iconic Australian film Romper Stomper to be recharged as Stan Original TV series

David Wenham, Dan Edwards, John Edwards, Jacqueline McKenzie, Toby Wallace and Sophie Lowe

Australia's leading local streaming service Stan announced today that production will commence this week on its newest Original series, Romper Stomper, a six-part drama continuing the story first told in the ground-breaking and controversial feature film of the same name, released 25 years ago.

Romper Stomper is produced by multi award-wining veteran producer John Edwards (Love My Way, Puberty Blues, Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo) and Dan Edwards for Roadshow Rough Diamond with major production investment from Stan and Screen Australia in association with Film Victoria, and international distribution by DCD Rights.

A high stakes crime drama/political thriller that explores the human face of extremism, Romper Stomper will join the rapidly expanding Stan Originals roster of award-winning, fresh and diverse dramas, comedies and movies, including the AACTA Award-winning and Logie Award-nominated series No Activity and the critically acclaimed AACTA Award-winning and Logie Award-nominated drama series Wolf Creek, returning for its second season later this year. Stan's latest series, Matt Okine's The Other Guy, premieres 17 August.

Thrilling, bold and provocative, Romper Stomper will pick up on the prescient themes and story of Geoffrey Wright's 1992 classic film, following a new generation of the activist Right, their Anti-Fascist counterparts, and the multicultural fabric of a country each of them threatens to tear apart.

25 years ago, Romper Stomper made headlines around the world. It brought the hidden fragments of society to the fore and made Russell Crowe a star, with his unforgettable portrayal of belligerent skinhead Hando.

Romper Stomper will star Jacqueline McKenzie (The Water Diviner, Love Child) and Dan Wyllie (Love My Way, Puberty Blues), reprising their roles from the original film. Joining them are Lachy Hulme (Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch Story, Beaconsfield), Sophie Lowe (The Beautiful Lie, The Slap), David Wenham (Lion, Top of the Lake, Killing Time) and rising star Toby Wallace (Boys In The Trees).

The new series is the brainchild of original filmmaker Wright himself, who will direct alongside the formidable talents of Daina Reid (The Secret River, Never Tear Us Apart: The Untold Story of INXS, Howzat! Kerry Packer's War), and exciting New Zealand director James Napier Robertson (The Dark Horse). The six x 1 hour drama is written by Wright, Robertson, award-winning author/poet and rapper Omar Musa (Here Come the Dogs), and Walkley award-winning journalist and author Malcolm Knox.

Producer John Edwards said: Romper Stomper is a fantastic chance to break the mould of Australian drama a contemporary thriller with competing tribes and different points of view battling for power. The series brings together some of our greatest character actors and wonderful new talents as well. Very exciting.

Stan's Chief Content Officer, Nick Forward said: With such an extraordinary creative team, Romper Stomper will be unmissable television, as provocative now as the film was in 1992, examining at a personal level the hatred, fear, vengeance and politics hidden in plain sight all around us. Stan is privileged to bring Geoffrey's prodigious talents to bear on a contemporary exploration of the themes his film tackled so brilliantly.

Mesmerising, confrontational and controversial, the original film's ideas are more relevant than ever now, 25 years later, as the world confronts the politics of hate and hard-right populism. This bold, new Stan Original Series is the streaming service s biggest local production yet, and will be a must-see TV event.

Screen Australia's Head of Production, Sally Caplan said: Few Australian films provoked more social commentary than Romper Stomper did in 1992. With prolific producer John Edwards and original Romper Stomper writer/director Geoffrey Wright at the helm, this project came to us with an exceptional creative vision, now supercharged by a stellar Australian cast. We commend Stan on taking a risk with this story and are delighted to partner with them once again as they continue to expand their original local content offerings.

Film Victoria CEO, Jenni Tosi said: In 1992 Film Victoria supported Geoffrey Wright as he set the Australian feature film world alight with his fearless debut feature Romper Stomper. 25 years later we are delighted that he is leading this reimagining of the original story along with the equally talented Victorian Director Daina Reid and being produced by John Edwards and Dan Edwards from Roadshow Rough Diamond.

Romper Stomper will premiere exclusively on Stan.

Media enquiries Stan Publicity

stan.publicity@stan.com.au

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Media enquiries Jane Alexander | Senior Publicist

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LINK:	https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/media-centre/news/2017/08-01-sta...
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