Press release from Nixco
The eight TOMORROW: WHEN THE WAR BEGAN warriors have now all been confirmed with the announcement today by Ambience Entertainment that Director, Stuart Beattie has cast Rachel Hurd-Wood in the role of Corrie McKenzie.
Rachel Hurd-Wood will join actors Chris Pang (Lee), Deniz Akeniz (Homer), Andy Ryan (Chris), Lincoln Lewis (Kevin) , Phoebe Tonkin (Fiona), Ashleigh Cummings (Robyn) and Caitlin Stasey as the film’s pivotal character, Ellie Linton.
This is not the first time Rachel has worked in Australia, having played Wendy in the 2002 big budget live action film version of Peter Pan, which was filmed in the Gold Coast. It was then that Rachel discovered the TOMORROW: WHEN THE WAR BEGAN book series.
"Being from the UK, I had heard of the book, but it wasn’t until I was last in Australia filming Peter Pan, that I read it and I fell in love with the story and the characters."
Rachel’s most recent credits include the period features Dorian Gray , Solomon Kane and the 2006 thriller Perfume..
"I am thrilled to be filming a modern-day action film and to have the opportunity to work with Writer/Director Stuart Beattie and such an extraordinary Australian cast to bring one of my favourite characters from the book series to life" Said Rachel
Director Stuart Beatie says of Rachel Hurd-Wood’s casting: "We initially set up screen tests in Los Angeles and London because of all the Aussies over there. The excitement that generated lead us to seeing more great actors and the moment I saw Rachel’s screen test I knew our search for Corrie was over.
Paramount Pictures will handle distribution and marketing of the film in Australia and New Zealand. Principal investor Omnilab Media, through its production arm, Ambience Entertainment, will take the first novel in the series, TOMORROW: WHEN THE WAR BEGAN from page to screen.
With production investment from Screen Australia and assistance from the NSW Dept of State and Regional Development, the film will be produced entirely in Australia with production on the classic teen novel scheduled to commence principal photography in the Hunter Valley at the end of September.
The popular ‘TOMORROW’ series of seven titles has sold over 2.5 million copies and translated into seven languages.