Faraway Downs: Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman star in six-part series expansion of movie ‘Australia’

Baz Luhrmann's 'Faraway Downs,' featuring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, boldly expands his 2008 film 'Australia' into a six-episode series. The series is set to release on November 26 this year on Hulu and Hotstar Disney+.

Luhrmann's motivation for this project was a desire to explore the film's themes in more depth, using the strengths of episodic storytelling to breathe new life into the narrative.

"Australia" was considered a commercial disappointment upon its release in 2008, grossing $211 million worldwide against a budget of at least $130 million, Luhrmann saw the potential for a richer and more extensive storytelling experience.


In a climate where studios are reconsidering their strategies due to the challenges of expensive show production versus subscriber profit, "Faraway Downs" stands out as a project that might not have been greenlit in today's context. Luhrmann, the visionary director behind "Australia," revisited his earlier work to offer audiences a new perspective through episodic storytelling.

"Faraway Downs" is more than just a rehash of the original film; it presents a fresh ending and delves deeper into the narrative's core. One notable difference is the increased focus on an Indigenous Australian child, played by Brandon Walters, who becomes entangled in the government's Draconian racial policy, commonly referred to as the Stolen Generations.

What's unique about "Faraway Downs" is that no new footage was shot for the series. Instead, it artfully assembles scenes from the original "Australia" film to create a different perspective on the story, similar to what Zack Snyder did with "Zack Snyder's Justice League."

The cast includes stars like Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Bryan Brown, Brandon Walters, and Ben Mendelsohn, offering a fresh approach to a story that already holds a place in cinematic history.

Synopisis:

The narrative of "Faraway Downs" centers on Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman), an English aristocrat who travels to the Australian Outback to confront her husband and sell a million-acre cattle ranch called "Faraway Downs." The story unfolds against the backdrop of pre-World War II Australia, where Lady Ashley reluctantly partners with a rugged cattle drover, portrayed by Hugh Jackman, to protect her ranch from a ruthless cattle baron, played by Bryan Brown. The Indigenous Australian child, Nullah, becomes a central figure in the narrative, highlighting the profound impact of the government's "Stolen Generations" policy.