Kimble Rendall’s 3D action adventure The Nest, a sequel to A Few Best Men and a TV drama starring Rebecca Gibney are being co-funded by Screen Australia.
The agency is investing $3.19 million in the three projects, a remarkable economic multiplier as the combined budgets are $38.4 million.
An official Australian/Chinese co-production, The Nest tells of the discovery of a well-preserved mummified Emperor from 200 BC China, which unleashes a 2,000 year-old nightmare.
Arclight Films, which produced Rendall’s Chinese hit Bait 3D, is producing through Gary Hamilton, Ying Ye and Mark Lazarus with a Chinese partner yet to be identified.
Shooting in Australia and China is due to start in the fourth quarter with an international cast. Tait Brady’s Label is the Australian distributor.
Rendall has been developing the script since he finished Bait. "I was researching Chinese history," he tells IF today on the line from Beijing. "The Nest is about funnel web spiders so I thought the tunnels underneath tombs would be a great place to stage the movie."
A Few Less Men will see Xavier Samuel, Kevin Bishop and Kris Marshall reprise their roles as the guys who transport their mate’s coffin across Australia after a forced plane landing strands them in the middle of the bush.
The comedy is due to shoot at the end of October, scripted by Dean Craig (A Few Best Men, Death at a Funeral) and directed by Not Suitable for Children's Peter Templeman. The producers are Tania Chambers, Laurence Malkin and Share Stallings, their second collaboration after Kill Me Three Times.
Studiocanal has the Australian rights; Studiocanal's Greg Denning was with Icon when it distributed Stephan Elliott's A Few Best Men in 2011 and he was keen to secure the sequel.
The Seven Network has commissioned Wanted (working title), scripted by Timothy Hobart, John Ridley and Kirsty Fisher, which follows two strangers (Gibney and an actor yet to be named) who intervene in a deadly carjacking and are swept up in a chase across Australia in a car full of money.
Shirley Barrett will direct and Andy Walker and Richard Bell will produce for Matchbox Pictures and Gibney and Bell's R&R Productions. Executive producer Tony Ayres tells IF, "I've known Rebecca and wanted to work with her for years. Wanted is her idea." Shooting starts in October in Brisbane, with Screen Queensland investing $527,768.
Screen Australia’s head of production Sally Caplan said, “There are some very strong stories and characters in the current slate of funded projects, and it’s wonderful to see the creativity flowing from talented Australian writers, directors, producers and performers.”
A FEW LESS MEN
AFLM Pty Ltd
Genre Comedy
Producers Tania Chambers, Laurence Malkin, Share Stallings
Director Peter Templeman
Writer Dean Craig
Australian Distributor Studio Canal
International Sales Arclight Films International
Cast Xavier Samuel, Kris Marshall, Kevin Bishop
Synopsis In the sequel to the worldwide hit A Few Best Men, David, Tom and Graham must transport their mate’s coffin to a relative in Perth after a forced plane landing strands them in the middle of the Australian bush.
THE NEST
Arclight Films International Pty Ltd, Nest Holdings Pty Ltd
Genre Action Adventure
Producers Gary Hamilton, Ying Ye, Mark Lazarus
Executive Producers Mike Gabrawy, Elliot Tong
Writer/Director Kimble Rendall
Australian Distributor Label
International Sales Arclight Films International
Synopsis An innocent discovery of a well-preserved mummified Emperor from 200 BC China unearths a 2000 year-old nightmare – a secret that should have remained buried.
WANTED (working title)
Matchbox Pictures Pty Ltd and R&R Productions Pty Ltd
Genre Action Adventure, Drama
Producers Andy Walker, Richard Bell
Executive Producers Rebecca Gibney, Tony Ayres
Director Shirley Barrett
Script Producer Timothy Hobart
Writers Timothy Hobart, John Ridley, Kirsty Fisher
Cast Rebecca Gibney
Broadcaster Seven Network
Domestic/International Sales Universal Media Studios International
Synopsis When two strangers intervene in a deadly car jacking, they are swept up in a roller coaster chase across Australia in a car full of money