Production on a new cosmic sci-fi thriller starring Oscar winner Brendan Fraser and two-time Emmy winner Jeff Daniels has officially kicked off in Sydney.
Written and directed by Newcastle-raised Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Josh Wakely, “Starman” is backed by Screen NSW’s Made in NSW Fund and is expected to generate over $23 million in expenditure for the NSW economy and create an estimated 229 local cast and crew jobs.
Alongside Fraser and Daniels, “Starman” boasts a stacked cast of local and international talent, including BAFTA-winning Irish actress Aisling Bea, Claudia Karvan, Stephen Curry and Ewen Leslie.
Filming has already taken place on location across Sydney, as well as the Blue Mountains and Disney Studios Australia in Moore Park.
“Sydney is the perfect place for this film to lift off, and I’m pleased to welcome ‘Starman’ and the entire team, including writer/director Josh Wakely, to NSW,” Screen NSW Executive Director Kylie Munnich said.
“With an all-star Australian and international cast, ‘Starman’ joins a growing list of high-end productions choosing to film here, with support from Screen NSW.
“Our state is Australia’s screen production powerhouse. With world-class filmmakers, cast and crew, incredible locations and facilities, and competitive incentives, it’s no surprise we are seeing so many projects choosing to film in NSW. These major productions are creating opportunities and jobs for local cast and crew, as well as injecting millions into the NSW economy, with industries outside screen getting a boost when cameras roll in our state.”
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Screen NSW’s Made in NSW Fund has already helped produce a number of big-name productions in the last year, including the Chris Hemsworth-led “Kockroach” and “Extraction 3” and Tom Hanks WWII drama “Greyhound 2.”
“Starman” is a GRACE: A Storytelling Company production and is produced by Eddie Vaisman of Sight Unseen—who most recently produced Fraser’s Searchlight film “Rental Family” — and Josh Wakely and Rebecca Graham of GRACE: A Storytelling Company. David S. Goyer (“Batman Begins”) executive produces alongside Tarek Sherif, Ryan Graves, Matt Tedder and Sight Unseen’s Julia Lebedev. The film is financed by Sherif, Graves and Tedder and commenced principal photography in June. Anton is handling international sales, which launched at the Marché du Film de Cannes.