Essie Davis and Nathan Page.
Every Cloud Productions will begin shooting the feature based on its successful series Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries in October, with filming taking place across both Melbourne and Morocco.
Lead Essie Davis will be joined by her co-stars from the series in Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears, including Nathan Page, Miriam Margolyes and Ashleigh Cummings.
The film will open with Phryne Fisher rescuing a young Bedouin woman who has been thrown into jail in British Mandated Palestine. After a perilous escape from Jerusalem, the heroine rejoins her as a fellow guest in the home of Lord and Lady Lofthouse for the London ‘season’, and pledges to help her right a wrong and discover the truth about the Crypt of Tears – an ancient crypt rumoured to lie somewhere beneath the rolling sands of the Negev Desert.
The series’ set-up director Tony Tilse will shoot the film – his first feature after a long TV career with recent credits including Serengoon Road and Grisse for HBO Asia, Wolf Creek, Ash vs Evil Dead and Playmaker/China’s iQiyi’s Chosen.
Every Cloud’s Deb Cox wrote the script and will EP with producer Fiona Eagger, while Lucy Maclaren is co-producer.
Eagger said: “Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears will have the witty intrigue of Indiana Jones, the opulent style of a Merchant Ivory Production, and the feminist fun of Thelma and Louise. The legions of Miss Fisher fans from around the world have been eagerly waiting for news of Phryne’s next grand adventure. We are thrilled that she will be taking the leap to the big screen and with this fabulous new international murder mystery story.”
Every Cloud raised over $1 million of the budget via crowdfunding, a large swathe of which came from the US, where the series has screened on Netflix, PBS stations and Acorn TV. Overall the series has been sold into over 170 territories, and the format has also been sold into China.
Screen Australia is the film’s principal investor with Film Victoria. Roadshow will distribute in ANZ with Keshet handling international sales.