ADVERTISEMENT

Joel Edgerton’s Felony, starring Tom Wilkinson, begins Sydney shoot

Australian feature thriller Felony, penned by actor Joel Edgerton, has begun shooting in Sydney.

Matthew Saville (The Slap, cloudstreet) is directing the film, which follows three male detectives as they become embroiled in a tense struggle after a tragic accident leaves a small child in a coma. One is guilty; one tries to cover it up, and the other attempts to expose it.

Felony also stars Edgerton (The Great Gatsby, Animal Kingdom), alongside two-time Oscar nominee Tom Wilkinson (The Exotic Marigold Hotel, Michael Clayton), Melissa George (Treatment, The Slap) and Jai Courtney (A Good Day to Die Hard, Spartacus).

Edgerton is having a strong run as an actor, starring in Baz Luhrmann's upcoming The Great Gatsby and Kathryn Bigelow's Osama Bin Laden film, Zero Dark Thirty. However, Felony marks his first return to a more expansive filmmaking role since 2008 thriller The Square. That film, which he also wrote and starred in, was well-received critically although didn't meet box office expectations.

Screen Australia announced its investment in Felony earlier this year, with chief executive Ruth Harley saying it had "international breakout potential". Felony is being produced by Rosemary Blight (The Sapphires), as well as Edgerton and Michael Benaroya.

“With director Matt Saville and my producer partners Joel and Michael, we’ve assembled a stunning international cast and a highly experienced and creative Australian crew to bring Joel’s incredible script to the screen," Blight said in a statement. "It’s hugely exciting to have Tom Wilkinson, Melissa George and Jai Courtney join Joel with us here in Sydney for the shoot.”

Felony will be distributed by Roadshow Films (which also distributed The Square). Roadshow Films managing director Joel Pearlman said Edgerton’s outstanding script had attracted an amazing group of people to create the film, which will be released in 2013.

Contact this reporter at bswift@www.if.com.au or on Twitter at @bcswift.