Ambience Entertainment today announced Academy Award® winner Geoffrey Rush and Jai Courtney will star in the upcoming film STORM BOY. A modern retelling of the 1976 family film, director Shawn Seet (Two Fists One Heart; Deep Water; The Code) will commence principal photography in South Australia this July. It is due to be released in Australia and New Zealand in 2018.
Based on Colin Thiele’s 1964 book about the relationship between a boy and a pelican, Geoffrey Rush will star as Mike “Storm Boy” Kingley, who recounts his childhood adventures to troubled teen granddaughter Madeline in an effort to prevent her from making the same mistakes he made years before. He tells her the story of his boyhood – a heart-warming tale about unusual friendship and unconditional love.
Jai Courtney stars as “Hideaway Tom”, a protective father who after the untimely death of his wife and daughter, removes himself and his son from society to live on a remote isolated coastline.
One of the curious things in the press release was the reveal that the director intends to uses “cutting edge CGI technology, 3D animation and live footage.” Given the number of world-class animation houses across the nation, this is a good thing. it might also reduce the number of pelican relates injuries (and injuries relating to pelicans) on set. The film has previously been adapted into a film in 1976, and later as successful stage productions by the Sydney Theatre Company in 2013 and 2015.
Produced by Ambience Entertainment’s Michael Boughen (Tomorrow, When the War Began, The Loved Ones, Killer Elite) and Matthew Street (Tomorrow, When the War Began, The Bank Job, W, The Messenger), the adaption is penned by Justin Monjo (The Secret Daughter, Spear).
Financed by Screen Australia, the South Australian Film Corporation, Piccadilly Pictures (UK) and Aurora Global Media Capital (Singapore), and Salt Media & Entertainment (Singapore), STORM BOY will be released in Australia and New Zealand in 2018 by Studiocanal and is being sold internationally by Kathy Morgan from KMI.
