Netflix’s upcoming drama series “Feral,” starring Michelle Dockery, Jessica Gunning, Genevieve O’Reilly and Philippa Northeast, is set to begin filming in Queensland later this year.
The seven-part series, based on Shirley Conran’s bestselling 1987 novel “Savages,” will be directed by Gold Coast filmmaker Emma Freeman, whose credits include “Clickbait,” “Dustfall” and “Two Years Later.”
The darkly comedic survival thriller follows four women who accompany their mining executive husbands on a corporate getaway to a tropical island. When their husbands’ questionable business dealings put them in danger, the women are forced to navigate the jungle and their increasingly strained relationships in a fight to survive.
Dockery (“Downton Abbey”) will play Julia, alongside Gunning (“Baby Reindeer”) as Annie, O’Reilly (“Andor,” “My Brilliant Career”) as Silvana and Northeast (“Territory,” “My Brilliant Career”) as Suzy. Dolly de Leon (“Triangle of Sadness”) has also joined the cast as Elena.
As Variety exclusively reported yesterday, Northeast has replaced Quintessa Swindell as Suzy, a character described in the original novel as “sensuous” and “spoiled.” No reason has been given for Swindell’s departure.
Filming will take place across Queensland, with the Gold Coast’s rainforests and the Whitsunday Islands providing the backdrop for the series. The production is expected to contribute an estimated $38.5 million to the state’s economy and employ more than 250 cast and crew.
“Feral” is written by Jude Mack, who also serves as an executive producer alongside Freeman, Liza Marshall and Bria Thomas for Hera Pictures, and Hamish Lewis and David Belshaw for Warner Bros. International Television Production.
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“’Feral’ is a wild, messy journey of self-discovery and it’s a complete dream to be carrying Shirley Conran’s torch alongside Hera and Netflix. I can’t wait for people to meet these funny, brutal, bold women. I’m obsessed with them and hope audiences will be too,” Mack said.
Marshall, founder of Hera Pictures, which produced “Hamnet,” added: “We’re delighted to be working with the incredibly talented Jude Mack to bring Shirley Conran’s best-selling novel to the screen. The extraordinary female characters at the heart of the show will be pushed to extremes, behave deliciously badly and have a whole lot of fun along the way. Emma Freeman is the perfect director to take us on the ride, and Netflix have wholeheartedly embraced the scale and ambition of the show.”
Queensland Arts Minister John-Paul Langbroek said the production would also create opportunities for local businesses and emerging screen professionals. “The Crisafulli Government is proud to support ‘Feral’ through Screen Queensland’s Production Attraction Strategy—a production which will contribute an estimated $38.5 million to the local economy while employing more than 250 cast and crew,” he said.
“’Feral’ will also hire numerous local small businesses in South East Queensland and North Queensland to deliver this latest jungle adventure for a global audience, as well as providing training opportunities through Screen Queensland’s Attachment program.”
Produced by Hera Pictures in association with Warner Bros. International Television Production, the series will consist of seven hour-long episodes, with Laurie Borg serving as series producer. The production is supported by the Australian Government’s Location Offset, Screen Queensland’s Production Attraction Strategy and the Gold Coast Film Commission and Invest Gold Coast’s Screen Attraction Program.
Netflix has yet to announce a release date for “Feral.”