Amazon Prime Video is making a major expansion into Australia, announcing seven new original shows that will be produced in the country. The slate is headlined by Burning, a documentary from executive producer Cate Blanchett.
Additionally, Amazon has acquired Hulu’s Nicole Kidman vehicle Nine Perfect Strangers for Australia and Amazon is currently on a production break from season 2 of the U.S. original, The Wilds. Since 2019, Prime Video has set 14 Amazon Original series in Australia. On Monday, they announced the new productions including Burning, Head Above Water, Warriors On The Field, Class of ‘07, Deadloch, The Moth Effect and The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart.
“We’re incredibly focused on investing in and developing the world’s best talent to deliver the highest quality content for our Prime Video customers in Australia and around the world,” said Erika North, Head of Originals, Asia Pacific, at Amazon Studios. “We believe that putting the spotlight on the very best stories from Australian creators will not only excite our Australian viewers, but also our Prime members around the world. Today’s announcements are another step in our mission to bring outstanding content to fruition. We are proud to greenlight seven new Australian Amazon Originals with talented Australian’s, and today underlines our commitment to investing significantly in Australia within the creative community.”
“We know that viewers in Australia want to see new, fresh, unique and authentic stories that they can connect with, and we’re committed to producing diverse Australian programming for Prime members globally,” said Tyler Bern, Head of Content, Prime Video Australia. “Australians are incredible storytellers and we are delighted to be working with some of the best filmmakers, writers, directors, producers and actors in the world. We have something for everyone from captivating sports documentaries, to hilarious comedy shows and world-class scripted originals. Amazon Prime Video is constantly on the lookout for new talent and ideas that showcase the best of Australia and we’re so excited to be announcing these incredibly varied seven new Australian Amazon Originals as evidence of our commitment to a diverse slate.”
Learn more about the new projects below:
Burning
Burning, from executive producers Cate Blanchett, and Eva Orner, who also serves as director, takes an unflinching look at the deadly Australian bushfires of 2019-2020, known as ‘Black Summer’. Burning is an exploration of what happened as told from the perspective of victims of the fires, activists and scientists. Produced by Propagate Content, Dirty Films and Amazon Studios, Burning will launch on Amazon Prime Video in 2021 in over 240 countries and territories around the world.
Class of ’07
The new eight-part Australian Original comedy series Class of ‘07 will commence filming in Australia this December. Class of ‘07 is created by award-winning Australian writer and director Kacie Anning (Amazon Prime Video’s Upload, The Other Guy) and produced by NBCUniversal International Studios’ Matchbox Pictures. When an apocalyptic tidal wave hits during the ten-year reunion of an all-girls high school, a group of women must find a way to survive on the island peak of their high school campus. Like Lord of the Flies (in cocktail dresses), the series follows a group of former classmates, now freshly entangled in decade-old drama, as they attempt to survive not just the apocalypse but each other.
Deadloch
The new Australian Original comedy series written by ‘The Kates’ (Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan) and produced by Guesswork Television, OK Great Productions and Amazon Studios. ‘The Kates’ latest creation is a feminist noir comedy set against a bucolic backdrop with a rising body count. Filming of the eight part Amazon Australian Original series will commence in Tasmania this November.
Head Above Water
An Amazon Original four-part docuseries that follows elite Australian swimmers Ian Thorpe AM, Bronte Campbell OAM, Kyle Chalmers OAM, as well as former-junior-champion-turned-international-musician, Cody Simpson in the lead up to the Games in July. Produced by McAvoy Media, Swimming Australia and Amazon Studios, Head Above Water will launch on June 4, 2021 on Amazon Prime Video in Australia, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and select countries and will complete its global rollout later in 2021.
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart
A new Amazon Australian Original series based on the international best-selling book by Australian author Holly Ringland, and and starring Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner Sigourney Weaver. The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart tells the enchanting and compelling story of a young girl, Alice Hart, whose violent childhood casts a dark shadow over her adult life. Produced by Australian hit-maker and Emmy Award-winner Bruna Papandrea from Made Up Stories, Endeavor Content, and adapted for the screen by award-winning Australian writer Sarah Lambert who serves as the series showrunner. Award-winning Australian filmmaker Glendyn Ivin is set to direct.
The Moth Effect
A satirical, new six part, Amazon Australian Original sketch comedy produced by Bunya Entertainment, Amazon Studios and created by Nick Boshier (Bondi Hipsters) and Jazz Twemlow (Tonightly). The Moth Effect will launch one episode per month premiering on July 30, 2021 on Prime Video in Australia and select countries around the world. Together with some of Australia and New Zealand’s finest talent including Bryan Brown Miranda Otto, David Wenham, Ben Lawson, Jonny Brugh, Peter O’Brien, Kate Box, Sam Cotton, Christiaan van Vuuren, Sarah Bishop, Nazeem Hussain, David Woodhead and Zoë Coombs Marr. The Moth Effect is set to deliver the finest sketch comedy for Amazon Prime members.
Warriors On The Field
An Amazon Original documentary presented by former AFL champion Michael O’Loughlin, will be premiering on Amazon Prime Video later in 2021. The documentary offers a compelling insight that explores the deeply personal and poignant stories of three Indigenous AFL players and celebrates Aboriginal Australia and its association with the Australian Football League. Sharing their stories alongside Michael (a Kaurna, Ngarrindjeri, Narungga man) is current AFL player Michael ‘Sonny’ Walters, a Noongar man from Fremantle Dockers, and up-and-coming North Melbourne star Tarryn Thomas, a Kamillaroi and Lumaranaana man, originally from Sydney.
