Elsa Pataky and Luke Bracey will lead the cast of Netflix action film Interceptor, with shooting to commence in Sydney later this month.
The feature directorial debut of Australian novelist Matthew Reilly centres on an army lieutenant who must utilise her tactical training and military expertise to save humanity after sixteen nuclear missiles are launched at the US, and a violent coordinated attack simultaneously threatens her remote missile interceptor station.
The script was written by Reilly and Stuart Beattie, who also produces alongside Matthew Street and Michael Boughen for Ambience Entertainment.
Chris Hemsworth, Kathy Morgan, Christopher Mapp, Robert Slaviero and Peter D. Graves are the executive producers for the project.
Reilly said Pataky was a welcome addition to the production.
“Elsa is just perfect as our lead: a strong, independent, and determined woman who, in the face of overwhelming odds, just refuses to give up,” he said.
Street said he was looking forward to seeing the Australian-made film travel to audiences across the globe.
“Bringing entertaining stories to the screen with tremendous international appeal is at the heart of all Ambience Entertainment films,” he said.
“When the opportunity came to work with award-winning writers, Matthew Reilly and Stuart Beattie, we knew we had something special on our hands.“
NSW Arts Minister Don Harwin agreed, adding the action-blockbuster would showcase NSW’s production, CGI and VFX prowess.
“Securing Netflix’s Interceptor is further proof that NSW’s screen industry is taking off, boosting our economy and creating jobs as international productions seek out the winning combination of highly skilled cast and crew, technical ability, competitiveness, and creativity,” he said.
The film, which is being supported through NSW Government’s Made in NSW fund, is slated for theatrical release in Australia at the end of 2021, before being screened globally via Netflix in the first quarter of 2022. This may be subject to change.
The NSW Government increased its investment in the fund towards the end of last year with an additional $175 million.