Boy Swallows Universe, the series adaptation of Trent Dalton’s bestseller, will land on Netflix January 11.
To mark the release, the streamer will stage the world premiere in Brisbane, where the series is set, at New Farm Cinema, January 9.
Felix Cameron leads the cast of the eight-parter Eli Bell, who is forced to navigate his lost father Robert Bell (Simon Baker), mute brother Augustus Bell (Lee Tiger Halley), junkie mum Frances Bell (Phoebe Tonkin), heroin dealer stepfather Lyle Orlik (Travis Fimmel), and a notorious crim babysitter Arthur “Slim” Halliday (Bryan Brown). Eli is just trying to follow his heart and understand what it means to become a good man, but fate keeps throwing obstacles in his way.
The cast also includes Zac Burgess as the older Eli, Anthony LaPaglia as Tytus Broz, Sophie Wilde as Caitlyn Spies, Christopher James Baker as Ivan Kroll, HaiHa Le as Bich Dang, Deborah Mailman as Poppy Birkbeck, Ben O’Toole as Teddy, Zachary Wan as Darren Dang, and Millie Donaldson and Eloise Rothfield as 17 and 13-year-old Shelley Huffman, respectively.
Boy Swallows Universe is produced by Brouhaha Entertainment, Chapter One and Anonymous Content.
John Collee adapted the book for screen, with the executive producers Joel Edgerton, Troy Lum, Andrew Mason and Sophie Gardner.
Directors include Bharat Nalluri and Jocelyn Moorhouse, while heads of department include DOP Shelly Farthing-Dawe, production designer Michelle McGahey, costume designer Kerry Thompson, hair and makeup designer Angela Conte, casting director Nikki Barrett, and editors Jamie Pearson, Mark Perry, and Marcus D’Arcy.