US star Thomas Jane (The Expanse, Hung) has been announced as the lead for ABC crime series Troppo, due to shoot on the Gold Coast and Far North Queensland mid-year.
Based on Candice Fox’s bestselling novel Crimson Lake, the eight-part series centres on disgraced ex-cop Ted Conkaffey (Jane), who is mismatched with eccentric private investigator Amanda Pharrell to help uncover the whereabouts of a missing Korean family man and tech pioneer.
As they begin to uncover a string of bizarre deaths, the unlikely duo is thrust into a mutual fight for survival and sanity in the wilds of Far North Queensland.
Produced by EQ Media and Beyond Entertainment, with AGC Television onboard as co-financier and co-producer, Troppo is created by Yolanda Ramke, with Jocelyn Moorhouse the set-up director.
The series producer is Karl Zwicky, with executive producers including Quail, Lisa Duff and Simonne Overend (EQ Media Group), Mikael Borglund and David Ogilvy (Beyond Entertainment), Sally Riley and Andrew Gregory (ABC), Stuart Ford and Lourdes Diaz (AGC Studios), Thomas Jane and Courtney Lauren Penn.
Further cast and crew announcements are to come.
EQ Media CEO Greg Quail said the company was looking forward to producing the drama for “audiences globally to enjoy”.
“EQ Media and Beyond Entertainment are excited to be bringing together Australia’s national broadcaster and screen agencies with the powerhouse that is AGC Studios, to ensure that Troppo has the creative and financial backbone to deliver on Candice’s story and Yolanda’s vision,” he said.
The series has been financed with support of Screen Australia, Screen Queensland and City of Gold Coast.
The project is estimated to return more than $10 million back to the Queensland economy and create approximately 130 jobs cast and crew.
The series will premiere on ABC and ABC iview in 2022.
AGC Studios is handling international distribution.