Renowned Australian film producer Warwick Thornton has signed on to direct first warrioran epic feature film about Australian Aboriginal resistance fighter Pemulwuy. Australian star Sam Worthington (Avatar, Hacksaw Ridge) and Jason Clark (Oppenheimer, zero dark thirty) has been roped in to star in the project, while casting for lead Pemulwuy is said to be underway.
Pemulwuy is a member of the Bidjigal people of the Sydney tribe. When Australia was colonized in the late 1700s, Pemulwuy led a 12-year resistance movement against British settlers entering his people’s traditional lands.
Thornton is one of Australia’s most respected directors, who broke through with his directorial debut in 2009, Samson and Delilah Won the Golden Camera Award at the Cannes Film Festival. his 2017 movies sweet country Winner of the Venice Jury Special Prize and his latest work, new boyStarring Cate Blanchett, it premiered in Cannes last year.
first warrior Supported by the Bidjigal, Dharawal and Dharug elders and led by an all-Indigenous core creative team including Thornton, author Jon Bell (Mugai, Cleverman) and writer-producer Andrew Dillon (champion, Outliers). Dillion is a direct descendant of the Dharug and Gomeroi people and will produce first warrior under his banner That’s-A-Wrap Productions, an Aboriginal-owned and -operated production company.
The project is written by an all-star team of Australian writers, including BAFTA-nominated screenwriter Stuart Beattie (Collateral, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl) and Philip Noyce (rabbit proof fence, Salt) and Shana Levine (portable door, charlie and boots).
“I’m honored to be a part of this wonderful film. It’s an important story with a great script and legendary actors,” Thornton said in a statement.
Dillon added: “It has been a lifelong goal of mine to have our Aboriginal warriors celebrated on screen. I can’t wait for audiences to not only experience Warwick’s vision of this story, but to leave the cinema with a sense of Australia’s shared history.” New understanding.
