Crime, drugs, danger and a whole lotta hope.
Adapted from Trent Dalton’s iconic novel, Boy Swallows Universe is the story of a boy doing his best to hold his fractured family together in 1980s Brisbane.
An epic coming-of-age story set in 1980s Brisbane that blends the magic and innocence of youth with the brutal reality of the adult world. A lost father, a mute brother, a recovering addict mum, a heroin dealer for a stepfather, and a notorious criminal for a babysitter. Eli Bell is just trying to follow his heart and understand what it means to become a good man, but fate keeps throwing obstacles in his way.
Adapted from Trent Dalton’s iconic Australian novel, Boy Swallows Universe explores the crossroads where a boy becomes a man, good toys with evil, and the everyday meets the extraordinary.
Look out for the shots filmed in Brisbane!
Coming soon to Netflix. #BoySwallowsUniverse
Boy Swallows Universe TV Series Production
The 8 part-limited television series will screen globally on Netflix. It will star:
- Travis Fimmel (Vikings, Warcraft, Raised by Wolves, Black Snow) as Lyle Orlik,
- Simon Baker(The Mentalist, Breath, High Ground) as Robert Bell,
- Phoebe Tonkin(Babylon, Kid Snow, Transfusion, Westworld) will play the role of Frances Bell.
- The roles of the young Eli and Gus Bell will be played by Felix Cameron(Penguin Bloom) appearing as Eli Bell, and Lee Tiger Halley(The Heights, Featherweight, Crazy Fun Park) as Gus Bell.
Other characters central to the lives of Eli and Gus are played by Bryan Brown(Cocktail, Breaker Morant, Two Hands and Palm Beach) as Slim Halliday, Anthony LaPaglia (Nitram, Florida Man, Without a Trace) as Tytus Broz, and Sophie Wilde (You Don’t Know Me, The Fuck It Bucket, The Portable Door, Tom Jones)in the role of Caitlyn Spies.
Other cast members include:
- Christopher James Baker(True Detective, Ozark, New Gold Mountain) as Ivan Kroll,
- HaiHa Le (Hungry Ghost, Back to the Rafters, Hardball) as Bich Dang,
- Deborah Mailman (Total Control, Mystery Road, Offspring, The Sapphires) as Poppy Birkbeck,
- Ben O’Toole(Hacksaw Ridge, Detroit, Bloody Hell, The Water Diviner) as Teddy,
- Zachary Wan(Never Too Late, The Unlisted, Hardball) as Darren Dang, Millie Donaldson and Eloise Rothfield will play the roles of 17 and 13-year-old Shelley Huffman, respectively.
The series is adapted for the screen by writer John Collee (Master and Commander, Happy Feet, Hotel Mumbai).
Executive Producers are Troy Lum (The Water Diviner, Saving Mr Banks, Mao’s Last Dancer) and Andrew Mason (The Matrix, The Water Diviner) on behalf of Brouhaha, Sophie Gardiner (Howards End, Little Women, Chimerica) for Chapter One, Anonymous Content’s Kerry Kohansky-Roberts (Foe, Boy Erased), Joel Edgerton (The Gift, Boy Erased, The King) and Toby Bentley (Best Interests, Kiri), and Bharat Nalluri (Shantaram).
Directors are Bharat Nalluri (Shantaram), Jocelyn Moorhouse (Proof, How to Make an American Quilt, A Thousand Acres), and Kim Mordaunt (The Rocket, Fires, Wakefield).
The Director of Photography is Shelly Farthing-Dawe, the Production Designer is Michelle McGahey, the Costume Designer is Kerry Thompson, the Hair and Makeup Designer is Angela Conte and the Casting Director is Nikki Barrett.
About Boy Swallows Universe
Directors: Bharat Nalluri (Shantaram, Little America), Jocelyn Moorhouse (The Dressmaker, Stateless)
Writer: John Collee (Hotel Mumbai, Master and Commander)
Executive Producers: Joel Edgerton, Troy Lum, Andrew Mason, Sophie Gardiner
Key Cast: Simon Baker, Anthony LaPaglia, Travis Fimmel, Phoebe Tonkin, Felix Cameron, Bryan Brown, Lee Tiger Halley, Sophie Wilde, Christopher James Baker, HaiHa Le, Deborah Mailman, Ben O’Toole, Zachary Wan, Millie Donaldson, Eloise Rothfield
Production: Brouhaha Entertainment, Chapter One, Anonymous Content
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I just binge-watched the first episode of ‘Boy Swallows Universe’ and I’m already hooked! The writing is superb and the characters are so well-developed. I love how the show tackles difficult topics like drug addiction and mental health, but still manages to be a joy to watch. Can’t wait to see what happens next!