Jamie Dornan will play the lead role in Harry and Jack Williams’ The Tourist, a thriller Stan is touting as its “biggest series yet”.
The six-parter was originally co-commissioned by the streamer with the BBC. Announced today, HBO Max joins the production as the US partner, together with ZDF in Germany.
Dornan will play a British man who finds himself in Australian outback, being pursued by a truck trying to drive him off the road. Following a cat and mouse chase, the man later wakes in hospital hurt but alive. However, he has no idea who he is, and merciless figures from his past continue to pursue him.
Starring alongside will be Danielle MacDonald, to play Helen Chambers, a fledgling Probationary Constable; Shalom Brune-Franklin, as a waitress swept into the man’s journey for answers, and Hugo Weaving, starring as Agent Lachlan Rogers, one of the most highly regarded detective inspectors in Australia, leading Major Crime for the state police. Further casting announcements are expected soon.
In a statement announcing his casting, Dornan said: “The Tourist are some of the most exciting scripts I’ve ever read. I can’t wait to go to Australia with such a talented group of people.”
The series will shoot for 17 weeks across South Australia, predominantly in regional areas, though there is some also filming planned for Adelaide. It is expected to employ more than 270 local cast and crew and nearly 850 extras.
Produced by Two Brothers Pictures in association with Highview Productions, The Tourist is written and created by the Williams brothers, Fleabag producers whose credits also include Baptiste, The Missing and Lair.
Harry and Jack Williams will EP, alongside Christopher Aird and Andrew Benson for Two Brothers Pictures and Tommy Bulfin for the BBC. Lisa Scott produces for Highview Productions, while Chris Sweeney will executive produce and direct.
“We’re hugely excited about this show. It’s tonally breaking new ground for us, and having Jamie Dornan on board is the icing on the Australian cake,” said Harry and Jack Williams.
“Thrilled to be working with Chris Sweeney again as well as the BBC, HBO Max and Stan.”
Stan chief content officer Nick Forward said: “Set in Australia’s iconic outback, The Tourist is an incredible cat and mouse story. We’re thrilled to have Jamie Dornan as the lead in this original series, along with a strong local cast including Danielle Macdonald, Shalom Brune-Franklin and Hugo Weaving. Working with world class partners like BBC One, HBO Max and Two Brothers Pictures, along with local partners South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) and Highview Productions, The Tourist is a remarkable original series – and our biggest one yet. We can’t wait to bring this thrilling six-part series to Stan.”
Scott said: “Along with the team from Two Brothers, I am very excited to bring a series of this calibre and size to South Australia, the first project to utilise the Location Incentive funding in this state. This will be my third collaboration with Stan and I commend Mike Sneesby for his continuing support of bold and exciting stories from Australia and around the globe.
The Tourist was first announced last February with support from The South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC). In December, the Federal Government also supported the production with $3.6 million via the Location Incentive Program.
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