Airdate: Population 11

Ben Feldman (Superstore, Mad Men, Silicon Valley) stars and executive produces a new Stan Original Series Population 11, set to screen in March.

A trailer has been released for the comedy crime thriller filmed in Western Australia’s Kimberley Region. The 12-part series, inspired by true events, centres around a man who goes missing from a tiny outback town of only 12 residents, and his estranged son, who journeys from the U.S. to find him.

The cast includes rising star Perry Mooney as outsider Cassie Crick, Katrina Milosevic (Wentworth) as cop, Sgt. Geraldine Walters, and Darren Gilshenan (No Activity, The Moodys) as Pruden’s missing father Hugo Drivas.

The series also stars Chai Hansen (The Newsreader, The New Legends of Monkey) as Gareth Biggins, Stephen Curry (Ten Pound Poms, Thor: Love and Thunder) as Noel Pinkus, Tony Briggs (The Twelve, Cleverman) as Jimmy James, Genevieve Lemon (Christmas Ransom, The Tourist) as Valerie Hogarth, Rick Donald (Australia’s Sexiest Tradie, Halifax: Retribution) as Leon Croydman, Pippa Grandison (Frayed, Muriel’s Wedding) and Steve Le Marquand (June Again, Rake) as Maureen and Trevor Taylor, William Zappa (Grey Nomads, The Dry, The Tourist) as Cedric Blumenthal, Emily Taheny (Shaun Micallef’s Mad as Hell) as Audrey Denning, Karis Oka (Erotic Stories) as Shoshanna Ling, Fiona Choi (The Family Law) as Charmaine Ling, Sachin Joab (Lion, The Hunting) as Petey P and Chris Kirby (The Matrix Reloaded, Iron Sky) as Dom.

Stan Chief Content Officer Cailah Scobie said: “Following the success of the Stan Original Series Prosper, Stan’s partnership with the prestigious Hollywood studio Lionsgate delivers yet another epic series as part of our ongoing strategy to deliver fresh and exceptional Originals for Australian and global audiences. Population 11, starring Ben Feldman alongside a stand out Australian cast, is a comedy crime thriller with performances as captivating as the Western Australian landscape, and we can’t wait to share this series.”

Lionsgate President of International Television and Digital Distribution Agapy Kapouranis said: “We’re excited to continue rolling out our slate with Stan with another unique and compelling property. Population 11 is an edge-of-your-seat thriller that will resonate with audiences in Australia and around the globe.”

Jungle Entertainment Partner and EP Jason Burrows said: “Phil’s eighth original series is set to be a really fun jam-packed ride, both as a thriller and as a comedy. It will be the first Australian series that he and Trent have collaborated on since The Moodys, and together with the all-star writing team and our partners Lionsgate, Stan, Screenwest and Screen NSW, it has all the ingredients for a breakout Australian drama. This will be Jungle’s first show in WA, and we are delighted with the world we have created there with WA creatives, crews and collaborators.”

Screenwest CEO Rikki Lea Bestall said: “Stan, Lionsgate and Jungle Entertainment have incredible track records, and we’re thrilled to have welcomed them to Western Australia with this exciting and prestigious project. We are so pleased to see WA producer Melissa Kelly collaborating with Jungle to produce Population 11 – one of the first Stan Original Series to film in WA, alongside the upcoming Invisible Boys, continuing the momentum of our biggest year of production to date. We look forward to seeing Population 11 showcase both our dramatic Kimberley region and our talented local crew and creatives when it premieres on Stan in March.”

Head of Screen NSW Kyas Hepworth said: “Screen NSW is delighted to support the Stan Original Series Population 11, which showcases the skills of one of NSW’s most successful independent production companies, Jungle, as it joins forces with international heavyweight Lionsgate. This world-class series also spotlights talented First Nations writer Julia Moriarty who has teamed up with the experienced and highly successful creator Phil Lloyd.”

When Andy Pruden (Ben Feldman), a suburban bank teller from Ohio USA, pulls into the tiny outback town to visit his long-lost father, he’s alarmed to discover that Hugo has vanished. In his quest to find him, another outsider Cassie (Perry Mooney) comes to Andy’s aid and they find themselves in increasing danger as they delve into the secrets of this tiny outback town, where everyone is a suspect.

Population 11 is the second series to be co-commissioned by Stan and Lionsgate, following the success of the epic family drama series Prosper (Lingo Pictures). Trent O’Donnell (New Girl, Hacks, No Activity) directs and executive produces the series from Jungle Entertainment, reuniting with Lionsgate after directing the pilot of the hit comedy Ghosts, which the studio produces with BBC Studios for CBS.

Developed with the support of Stan, Lionsgate and Screen NSW, and produced with major production investment from Screenwest, Lotterywest and the Western Australian Regional Screen Fund, Population 11 is created by AACTA Award-winner Phil Lloyd (The Moodys, Review With Myles Barlow), as showrunner working with Sarinah Masukor, Julia Moriarty, Steve Toltz, Michael Bond and Zoe Pepper. Directed by Trent O’Donnell (Stan Original Series No Activity, New Girl), Ben Young (The Twelve) and Helena Brooks (Gold Diggers), the series is Executive Produced by Lloyd, O’Donnell, who is also set up director, Ben Feldman, Chloe Rickard and Jason Burrows (Stan Original Series No Activity, Wakefield) with Bridget Callow-Wright (Stan Original Special No Activity: The Night Before Christmas) and Melissa Kelly (Upright) producing.

The Stan Original Series Population 11 is produced by Jungle Entertainment in association with Factor 30 Films, with major production investment from Screenwest, Lotterywest and the Western Australian Regional Screen Fund. Financed with support from Screen NSW. Lionsgate will manage international sales. Stan Executive Producers are Cailah Scobie and Amanda Duthie.

All episodes Thursday March 14  on Stan.