Channel Ten has announced the cast for upcoming miniseries Brothers In Arms about the infamous “Milperra Massacre”.
Leading the cast on the six-part series, from the producers of Underbelly, is Callan Mulvey (Rush), Matt Nable (Killer Elite), Maeve Dermody (Griff The Invisible) and Susie Porter (The Jesters).
Other cast members on the series – originally titled Bikie Wars: Brothers In Arms – include Anthony Hayes (The Slap), Todd Lasance (cloudstreet), Luke Ford (Red Dog), Damian Walshe-Howling (Terra Nova, The Reef), Nathaniel Dean (Wild Boys), Jeremy Lindsay Taylor (Underbelly: Razor) and Luke Hemsworth (Tangle).
Ten will be hoping for a similar reaction to Nine’s Underbelly franchise, also created by Screentime, when it goes to air next year. Filming wrapped last week on the controversial series, which is expected to be delivered to Ten around Easter next year.
Produced by Roger Simpson (Satisfaction, Stingers) and Louisa Kors (The Slap, cloudstreet), the series will focus on the dark day – September 2 (Father’s Day), 1984 – in which two motorcycle clubs went to war at a public swap meet. Seven people were shot dead – including a 14-year-old innocent female bystander – during the brief and bloody battle. Forty other club members were hospitalised.
It's based on the best-selling Lindsay Simpson/Sandra Harvey book of the same name and has been written by executive producer Greg Haddrick (Crownies, Underbelly), Simpson and Jo Martino (Winners & Losers). It will be directed by Peter Andrikidis (The Straits, Killing Time).
“There is obviously a great responsibility to tell a story like this truthfully, respectfully and with conviction – so we felt very privileged to see this outstanding ensemble come together,” executive producer Rick Maier said in a statement when announcing the cast.
“This was a complex shoot and we think that across the board they have delivered the performance of their careers.”
The series was commissioned by Ten back in March. At the time, Ten’s chief programming officer David Mott said it was one of the most sought-after properties in television.
The six-part miniseries, Brothers In Arms, will screen on Ten in 2012