Gold Coast-based production outfit Magi Pictures, founded by US screenwriter Shirley Pierce and director Michael Rymer, has acquired the screen rights to Judy Nunn’s bestselling 2019 novel Khaki Town.
Set in Townsville 1942, the murder mystery explores a chapter of history when Australia became the strategic headquarters for the Pacific War.
The story unfolds as hundreds of thousands of American troops flood into Queensland, creating an explosive situation when African American soldiers – still bound by Jim Crow segregation laws -found themselves in a country shaped by the White Australia policy’s racial exclusionary principles. This unlikely intersection of two nations’ discriminatory systems becomes the canvas for murder, taboo connections, and a struggle for dignity beyond the battlefield.
Pierce and Rymer launched Magi Pictures last year, with focus on high-concept features and series that will resonate with global audiences. Development on Khaki Town will begin in May, adding to slate that also includes four series and three feature films in late-stage development.
For Pierce, who has written for studios like Disney and Fox, Khaki Town represents a deeply personal connection to her African-American heritage.
“This story grabbed me from the first page because it’s not just history – it’s a gripping thriller that happens to expose truths we’re still confronting today,” she said.
“Audiences will be drawn into this murder mystery set against an explosive backdrop where American and Australian racial attitudes collide. It’s got everything – danger, prohibited affairs, shocking revelations – while shining a light on a chapter of history that eerily mirrors headlines we’re still seeing now.”
Rymer, director of films such as Angel Baby and Queen of the Damned and series Battlestar Galactica, added the novel’s “edge-of-your-seat” plot should lend itself to the big screen.
“Queensland isn’t just our backyard – it’s practically a character in this explosive story,” he said,
“We’ll be taking viewers to the streets where these events unfolded—military compounds where cultural tensions simmered, dance halls where clandestine entanglements were formed, and shadowy corners where murder was plotted.”
Nunn’s novels have sold more than two million copies worldwide. She is also known for her work as an actress and screenwriter, including her 15-year turn as Irene on Home & Away.
“I’m delighted that Magi Pictures has acquired Khaki Town,'” she said.
“Michael and Shirley’s American film backgrounds and their understanding of the complex racial dynamics at play in this story, combined with their Queensland connection, makes them the perfect team to bring this important story to the screen.”