embargoed storm boy cast announcement...draft 1 strictly embargoed until: 12.30am (acst) friday 12...

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STRICTLYEMBARGOEDUNTIL:12.30am(ACST)Friday12May,2017

GEOFFREYRUSHANDJAICOURTNEYCASTINTHEHIGHLYANTICIPATED

STORMBOYAmbienceEntertainmenttodayannouncedAcademyAward®winnerGeoffreyRush(Shine,TheKing’sSpeech,PiratesoftheCaribbean)andJaiCourtney(SuicideSquad,TheWaterDiviner,Divergent)willstarintheupcomingfilmStormBoy.

Acontemporaryre-tellingofthe1976iconicfamilyfilm,StormBoywillbeginprincipalphotographythisJulyacrossSouthAustralia.GeoffreyRushwillstarasMike“StormBoy”Kingley,whorecountshischildhoodadventurestotroubledteengranddaughterMadelineinanefforttopreventherfrommakingthesamemistakeshemadeyearsbefore.Hetellsherthestoryofhisboyhood-aheart-warmingtaleaboutunusualfriendshipandunconditionallove.Winnerofnumerousinternationalaccolades,Rush’sawardsincludetherareTripleCrownofanOscar®,anEmmyandaTony,threeBritishFilmAcademyAwards,threeAustralianAcademyofCinemaandTelevisionAwards,twoGoldenGlobe®Awards,fourScreenActorGuildAwardsandmorerecentlythe2017BerlinaleCameraAward.RushiscurrentlystarringinNationalGeographic’sscripted10partTVdramaseriesGENIUSasAlbertEinsteinandintheupcomingPiratesofTheCaribbean:DeadMenTellNoTales.JaiCourtneystarsas“HideawayTom”,aprotectivefatherwhoaftertheuntimelydeathofhiswifeanddaughter,removeshimselfandhissonfromsocietytoliveonaremoteisolatedcoastline.OneofAustralia’smostsuccessfulactingexports,CourtneyhasappearedinnumerousHollywoodblockbustersincluding,AGoodDaytoDieHardwithBruceWillis,JackReacherwithTomCruise,SuicideSquad,Unbroken,InsurgentandTerminator:Genisys.Healsostarsinthesoontobereleasedfeature,TheException,alongsideChristopherPlummerandLilyJames.PriortocommencingfilmingonStormBoy,CourtneywillbeseenonstagestarringasMacbethintheMelbourneTheatreCompany’sproductionofShakespeare’sMacbeth.

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AwardwinningdirectorShawnSeet(TwoFistsOneHeart;DeepWater;TheCode)willhelmStormBoy,usingcuttingedgeCGItechnology,3Danimationandlivefootage.ThisnewproductionofColinThiele’sStormBoyissettocapture(andre-capture)theimaginationofaudiences,youngandold.ProducedbyAmbienceEntertainment’sMichaelBoughen(Tomorrow,WhentheWarBegan,TheLovedOnes,KillerElite)andMatthewStreet(Tomorrow,WhentheWarBegan,TheBankJob,W,TheMessenger),theadaptionispennedbyJustinMonjo(TheSecretDaughter,Spear).SouthAustralianPremierJayWeatherillwelcomedthecastingofRushandCourtneyandlooksforwardtowelcomingthemtotheState’sCoorongregionforfilming.“It’sgreattohavetwoglobalsuperstarsinGeoffreyRushandJaiCourtneyonboardtohelptellthisiconicSouthAustralianstory,”MrWeatherillsaid.“TheStateGovernmentisthrilledtosupportthisfilmandthe100-plusjobsitisexpectedtocreateduringproduction.”FinancedbyScreenAustralia,theSouthAustralianFilmCorporation,PiccadillyPictures(UK)andAuroraGlobalMediaCapital(Singapore),andSaltMedia&Entertainment(Singapore),StormBoywillbereleasedinAustraliaandNewZealandin2018byStudiocanalandisbeingsoldinternationallybyKathyMorganfromKMI.“Thisfilm,retellingColinThiele’sclassictale,willopenthestorytoawholenewgenerationofyoungpeople,notonlyacrossSouthAustralia,butaroundtheworld.”saidSouthAustralianMinisterfortheArtsJackSnelling.“IamreallyexcitedthatinternationallyrenownedactorsGeoffreyRushandJaiCourtneyarejoiningthecast-itisatestamenttothestoryandtofilmmakinginourstate.”CEOoftheSouthAustralianFilmCorporationAnnabelleSheehanwelcomedthenewsexpressing“TheSAFCisdelightedtowelcomethisprojectanditsnewlyannouncedcasttoAdelaideStudios.CongratulationstotheStormBoyteamforbringingtogetherthesesignificantcreativecollaboratorstoleadthecast.”

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