US stars Will Forte and D’Arcy Carden will star opposite each other in Stan Original series Sunny Nights, with filming underway in NSW.
Produced by Jungle Entertainment and Echo Lake Entertainment in association with Cineflix Rights, the darkly comedic drama series follows siblings Martin (Forte) and Vicki (Carden) Marvin who venture to Sydney determined to start their spray tan business, but when they get caught up in the city’s criminal underworld, they must figure out how to stay alive, out of prison, and in the black.
The ensemble cast includes Rachel House, Jessica De Gouw, Megan Wilding, Ra Chapman, Miritana Hughes, George Mason, Matuse, and former professional rugby league footballer Willie Mason in his debut role.
Nick Keetch and Ty Freer created the series and wrote the episodes with Marieke Hardy, Lally Katz, Clare Sladden, and Niki Aken. Trent O’Donnell serves as executive producer and director, with Bridget Callow-Wright producing.
Also executive producing are Shay Spencer, Jason Burrows, and Chloe Rickard for Jungle Entertainment; Doug Mankoff, Andrew Spaulding, Chris Davis, and Amotz Zakai for Echo Lake Entertainment; Myra Model of Myra Model Management; and Forte and Carden. The series has major production investment from Stan and Screen Australia and is financed with support from Screen NSW through the Made in NSW Fund, and exclusive worldwide distribution partner Cineflix Rights.
Sunny Nights was among 25 originals unveiled by Stan earlier this year, alongside Matchbox Pictures psychological crime drama Critical Incident and CW and Roku co-commission, Good Cop / Bad Cop.
Burrows highlighted the quality of the creative team and cast tasked with bringing the story to life.
“The brilliant scripts, coupled with the incredible talent we have working on this series, both behind and in front of the camera – led by Trent O’Donnell, is going to make this very special,” he said.
Mankoff said collaborating Jungle had been “incredibly rewarding”.
“Sometimes you have to believe a project into existence, but having great partners is crucial,” he said.
“Stan and Cineflix Rights also have been amazing, and we are grateful for their extraordinary commitment to this gem of a show.”
Cineflix Rights head of scripted James Durie also paid tribute to O’Donnell and the creative team as being behind the “most successful international hit TV series of the past few years”.
“Their incredible talent, combined with fantastic cast led by Will Forte and D’Arcy Carden, give Sunny Nights huge global appeal – we are thrilled to be financing and distributing the series,” he said.
Stan chief content officer Cailah Scobie said Sunny Nights promised to deliver a “dangerously hilarious series that will resonate both locally and abroad”.
“We’re incredibly proud to once again be working with Trent O’Donnell and Jungle Entertainment on another fantastic Stan Original Series, this time with the added creative force of Echo Lake Entertainment and global content leader Cineflix Rights,” she said.