Queensland has snared the second season of Amazon Prime Video’s The Wilds from across the ditch.
Thanks to $9.8 million from the Federal Government and support from the Queensland Government’s Production Attraction Strategy, the ABC Signature series, starring Aussies Rachel Griffiths, Mia Healey and Shannon Berry, will shoot on the Gold Coast in April. The expectation is the production will create 270 jobs for cast and crew and add $73 million to the local economy.
The young adult drama is the second international production announced for Australia this week via the government’s Location Incentive Program, with Netflix’s God’s Favourite Idiot set to shoot in NSW’s Northern Rivers.
Since the government topped up the incentive with $400 million last July, the program has attracted 11 productions, with the others Australian Survivor, The Tourist, Thirteen Lives, Escape From Spiderhead, Pieces of Her, Blacklight, Irreverent, Joe Exotic and Young Rock.
Created by Sarah Streicher and showrun by Amy B. Harris, The Wilds centres around a group of teenagers unexpectedly marooned on a deserted island. The first season was shot in Auckland and on the coast of NZ’s North Island.
Also starring in the series are David Sullivan, Troy Winbush, Sophia Ali, Sarah Pidgeon, Jenna Clause, Erana James, Helena Howard and Reign Edwards.
ABC Signature, which is part of Disney Television Studios, will engage Hoodlum Entertainment as its service company in Australia.
Amazon Studios COO and co-head of television Albert Cheng said: “Queensland is the ideal location for season two of The Wilds, with its beautiful scenery and beaches, plus the deep pool of incredibly knowledgeable and skilled craftsmen and crew who are so vital for our production with ABC Signature. We can’t wait to get started.”
ABC Signature president Jonnie Davis said, “We couldn’t ask for a more perfect setting for the second season of our ABC Signature hit series, The Wilds, on Amazon Prime Video. The beaches, the terrain, the incredible talent both in front of and behind the camera will truly add to the exciting story we’re telling with this series.”