Patrick Brammall will make his US screen debut in NBC’s pilot Strange Calls, a remake of the Australian series created by Daley Pearson.
The role won’t be a stretch for the actor as he is reprising the character of the macho but not overly bright Sergeant Lloyd, whom he played in The Strange Calls.
Hoodlum’s Tracey Robertson and Nathan Mayfield, who executive produced the original for ABC2, will work on the pilot with Aaron Kaplan of Kapital Entertainment and 20th Century Fox TV.
The original writer Donick Cary has departed and the pilot is being written by Blake McCormick (Cougar Town, King of the Hill).
"When I read the US script I was struck by how faithful it is to Daley's original creation," Brammall told IF today. "Blake McCormick has nailed the tone. It's extremely funny; I reckon the US audience will love it. And I can't wait to play Sarge again. I love that idiot."
The pilot will be directed by Jason Winer, who has 20 episodes of Modern Family among his credits. There’s no word yet on who will play the two leads: an affable but down-on-his-luck young police officer who is transferred to a rural town where, helped by a peculiar, elderly night watchman, he realises the town has a bizarre supernatural underbelly.
The Strange Calls, which starred Toby Truslove as the cop and Barry Crocker as the night security man, screened in the US on streaming service Hulu.
After roles in The Little Death, Upper Middle Bogan, The Moodys and Offspring, Brammall played the lead in Ruben Guthrie, writer-director Brendan Cowell’s film based on his stage play.
Madman will release the comedy-drama about a wunderkind creative party animal at a boutique Sydney ad agency who jumps off a hotel roof into a wading pool and nearly kills himself.
Over the next 12 months, Ruben tries to build a life around AA, cups of tea, inner growth and sex with a reformed addict played by Abbey Lee.
He’ll also be seen in Glitch, Matchbox Pictures’ paranormal mystery for ABC TV.