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Stan announces 4 new local projects, Bump renewal.

New series and telemovies announced with casts including Poppy Montgomery, Darren McMullen, Claudia Karvan.

Stan has announced 4 new Stan Originals and renewed another, from Roadshow Rough Diamond, Matchbox Pictures and Hoodlum with cast including Poppy Montgomery, Darren McMullen and Claudia Karvan.

The new slate of Stan Originals includes 4 part drama Bad Behaviour, a Matchbox Pictures series based on the acclaimed book of the same name by Australian writer Rebecca Starford; and Christmas on the Farm, a holiday film from Hoodlum starring Poppy Montgomery, Hugh Sheridan, Darren McMullen and Nicholas Brown.

Stan has also expanded its partnership with Roadshow Rough Diamond for Bump Season 2 and Season 3; Year Of, a high school Bump spin-off; and Ironside, a new series inspired by the AFP’s Operation Ironside.

Stan Chief Content Officer Cailah Scobie said: “Original content is central to Stan’s growth strategy and today’s announcement reflects our commitment to deliver world-class local productions. We’re thrilled our new slate of originals will feature a who’s who of Australian and international actors and creatives. These local productions are being made in collaboration with some of the world’s biggest studios and we look forward to adding these Australian productions to Stan’s already unrivalled lineup of originals.”

The new slate of upcoming Stan Original Series and Films today announced:

Bad Behaviour – Commencing production in 2021
Based on the book by Australian writer Rebecca Starford, the Stan Original Series Bad Behaviour is an emotionally and physically intense glimpse into the lives of teenage girls at the wilderness campus of an exclusive girls’ boarding school. Exploring latent and emerging sexuality, ritualistic rites, intense friendships, shifting loyalties and a ruthless struggle for power, the series is written by Pip Karmel (New Gold Mountain, Total Control) and Magda Wozniak (Mustangs, The Heights) and produced by Amanda Higgs (The Secret Life of Us, Seven Types of Ambiguity), with Corrie Chen (Five Bedrooms, Wentworth) to direct.

Christmas on the Farm – Coming this Christmas
Starring Australian-American actress Poppy Montgomery (Without a Trace), Hugh Sheridan (Packed to the Rafters), Darren McMullen (House Husbands) and Nicholas Brown (Wakefield), the Stan Original Film Christmas on the Farm follows Clementine Jones (Montgomery), an Australian author whose autobiographical book about life on a Queensland farm is snapped up by powerhouse publishers London & London. But the truth is, “Clementine” is actually Emmy Jones – a New York socialite who has been passing her late mother’s journals off as her own. When the publisher announces that they’re travelling to Australia for an authentic ‘Clementine’ Christmas before signing off on the lucrative deal, Emmy must race back to the old family farm, roping in her cousin David (Sheridan) and his husband Miles (Brown) to help maintain the ruse. One problem: London & London CEO Ellison (Jennette Cronin) shows up with her handsome adult son Jack (McMullen) in tow – but if he remembers the night he met Emmy in New York, the deal could all come crashing down! Christmas on the Farm is written by Jennifer Notas Shapiro (Christmas Lost and Found, Wrapped Up in Christmas), with additional writing by Samantha Strauss (Nine Perfect Strangers, The End, Dance Academy), and Christopher Weekes attached to direct. Teaming up with Poppy Montgomery to executive produce the film are Tracey Robertson, Nathan Mayfield, and Tracey Vieira from Hoodlum Entertainment; and US-based Ruthanne Secunda.

Bump Season 2 (coming this Summer) and Season 3 renewal
The second season of the record-breaking Stan Original Series Bump is currently in production in Sydney, with the series also renewed for a third season. Starring Claudia Karvan, Nathalie Morris, Carlos Sanson Jnr and Angus Sampson, Season 2 begins with Oly and Santi in a new place of hope and uncertainty. They’ve had a baby, fallen in love, moved in together and then back out; now they might even get to know each other. Roadshow Rough Diamond’s Dan and John Edwards return to produce the series, alongside Claudia Karvan. Bump Season 3 will begin production in 2022.

Ironside
An upcoming Stan Original Series, Ironside is a criminal drama telling the extraordinary true story of the Australian Federal Police and FBI’s development and use of the encrypted ANOM app to track and trap international criminals. Roadshow Rough Diamond’s Dan and John Edwards are working hand-in-hand with acclaimed writer and director Gregor Jordan and Nine’s multi-Walkley award-winning journalist for 60 Minutes, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald Nick McKenzie on the series.

Year Of
Year Of is set in and around the senior years of high school – exploring the liminal time between childhood and adulthood for the kids and the renegotiations with adults that it brings. Of course, the school and the teachers – we’ve already met in Bump. Young love and angst, humour and tragedy, rub against each other in a powerful mix. Roadshow Rough Diamond’s Dan and John Edwards are working alongside the talented writing team of Jessica Tuckwell and Kelsey Munro on the series.

Stan Acting Chief Executive Officer Martin Kugeler said: “Partnering with the biggest producers from Australia and around the world to deliver high calibre homegrown projects is core to Stan’s original content strategy. Today’s announcement with Roadshow Rough Diamond reflects Stan’s commitment to investing in local production. We look forward to continuing to work closely with Roadshow Rough Diamond’s Dan and John Edwards on these new Stan Original projects.”

Roadshow Rough Diamond Co-Founders Dan and John Edwards said: “Stan has proven to be a perfect creative partner on both Bump and Romper Stomper. We’re thrilled to extend the relationship with Year Of and Ironside. This comes as Rough Diamond is at the beginning of an expansion phase as we bring creative producing partners under our umbrella.”

Matchbox Pictures Managing Director Alastair McKinnon said: “From a powerhouse team of all-female creatives led by the incomparable Amanda Higgs, Bad Behaviour is a thrilling look at the lives of teenagers and the decisions that can indelibly shape their future lives. In Stan, we have the perfect partner that understands the timeless power of this story and its contemporary urgency.”

Hoodlum Entertainment CEO and founder Tracey Robertson said: “We’re thrilled to kick off our first Stan Original with this fun and festive feature, and a wonderful cast of characters that have come to play with us here in Queensland. We need to launch and love now more than ever.”

Today’s titles join upcoming Stan Originals Wolf Like Me, starring Josh Gad and Isla Fisher and produced by Made Up Stories in partnership with NBC’s Peacock; The Tourist, starring Jamie Dornan and produced in partnership with the BBC and HBO Max; Gold, starring Zac Efron in his first major Australian film; The Portable Door, starring two-time Oscar winner Christoph Waltz and Sam Neill and produced in partnership with Sky; Transfusion, starring Sam Worthington; and Nitram, directed by Justin Kurzel and starring Caleb Landry Jones, who won best actor honours at this year’s Cannes Film Festival for his performance.

The announcement follows Stan recently partnering with the Australian Children’s Television Foundation to create a new feature film production fund.

2 Responses

  1. I’m sure these will all be fine.

    But, does anyone else always read these stories about newly commissioned shows and think, “nothing I would watch or made for me to watch”? I can’t even think of the last time I watched an Australian scripted drama or comedy series. They just don’t seem to make anything aimed at my demographic.

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