Just over 12 months ago, founding Stan CEO Mike Sneesby revealed an ambitious target of delivering 30 Stan Originals a year to subscribers. Soon after, Sneesby transitioned to lead parent company Nine Entertainment.
Continuing to deliver on the Stan Originals promise is recently appointed chief executive Martin Kugeler who has unveiled a raft of new commissions.
The streaming platform has also entered a new originals development partnership with Hollywood studio Lionsgate with three projects already in development: Prosper, The Geography of Friendship and Population 11. Stan has an existing partnership with Lionsgate, with Stan last year extending its output agreement with the studio for exclusive first-run US dramas.
Stan also announced last week it is launching a major new original documentary slate.
The new slate of Stan Originals includes drama series Black Snow, a cold case mystery series set in Far North Queensland; Last Light starring Matthew Fox in his return to television alongside SAG Award winner Joanne Froggatt; and The Jump, a series about the power of friendship.
Also announced is the comedy feature film Nude Tuesday, starring Jackie van Beek, Damon Herriman and Jemaine Clement; from the makers of MAFS a new untitled reality series, a format created by the Nine Network and Endemol Shine Australia; and the sport documentary series Dawn of the Dolphins, which offers unprecedented access to coaching giant Wayne Bennett and the Queensland-based Dolphins as they prepare to join the NRL.
Stan CEO Martin Kugeler
Chief executive officer Martin Kugeler said:
“Stan Originals have always been a key pillar of our content strategy and are amongst our highest performing programs in terms of subscriber acquisition and engagement. Today’s announcement reflects Stan’s ability to deliver a significantly increasing number of high quality original productions. This new slate of Originals will see us partner with some of the world’s most sought-after producers both locally and internationally, alongside our newly expanded partnership with Hollywood studio Lionsgate and our collaborative initiative with the Nine Network.”
The seven new originals announced join nine previously announced Stan Originals currently in various stages of production, including the Stan Original Series Bad Behaviour, Bali 2002 and Bump Season 3; the Stan Original Films The Portable Door and Transfusion; the second season of the hit Stan Original Series RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under; and the upcoming Stan Original Documentaries Revealed: Amongst Us – Neo Nazi Australia, Revealed: The Price of Hate and Revealed: Reefshot.
Stan Original Bump
The new Stan Original productions
• The Stan Original Series Black Snow combines a coming-of-age drama with the mystery of a classic whodunit to create a unique series that is deeply rooted in its Far North Queensland setting.
The series is created by Lucas Taylor, writing alongside Boyd Quakawoot and Beatrix Christian. Directed by Sian Davies and Matthew Saville and shot by Murray Lui, the series is produced by Rosemary Blight, Lois Randall and Kaylene Butler.
Producer Rosemary Blight
The Stan Original Series Black Snow has received production investment from Screen Australia in association with Stan, and is financed with support from Screen Queensland, Screen NSW and Sundance Now. Financed and produced in association with All3Media International. A Goalpost Television Production.
• The Stan Original Series Last Light is a five-part drama starring and executive produced by Emmy nominee Matthew Fox (Lost) in his return to television and starring SAG Award winner Joanne Froggatt (Stan Original series The Commons, Downton Abbey).
Joanne Froggatt with The Commons co-stars David Lyons and Ryan Corr
Last Light is produced by MGM International TV Productions in association with Peacock, Nordic Entertainment Group’s Viaplay, Stan and MBC; and is distributed by MGM. The series will premiere in the US on Peacock.
• The Stan Original Series The Jump explores the complexities of grief and the ways sadness can unite us.
The Stan Original Series The Jump is created and executive produced by Gretel Vella, who writes alongside Keir Wilkins and Emme Hoy. The series is produced by Alice Willison, with Nat Lindwall as executive producer and Ellie Madritsch as associate producer. The Jump partners are AMC Networks’ Sundance Now and Fremantle International.
• The Stan Original Series Year Of will begin production in June. The series takes place in the same universe as the hit Stan Original Series Bump and is set in and around the senior years of high school.
Roadshow Rough Diamond’s Dan and John Edwards are working alongside the writing team of Jessica Tuckwell, Kelsey Munro, Enoch Mailangi, Emily Havea, Zoe Norton Lodge, Eddie Diamandi, Ayeesha Ash and Eleanor Kirk. The Stan Original Series Year Of is produced by Roadshow Rough Diamond with major production investment from Screen Australia. ITV Studios is managing international sales.
Producer John Edwards
• The Stan Original Film Nude Tuesday follows a couple (Jackie van Beek and Damon Herriman), who to rekindle the spark in their troubled marriage, head to a three-day couples’ retreat run by a relationship and sexual healing guru (Jemaine Clement).
Directed by Armagan Ballantyne from a screenplay by Jackie van Beek and based on a story by Jackie van Beek and Armagan Ballantyne, Nude Tuesday is a New Zealand/Australia co-production produced by Firefly Films and Virginia Whitwell and Nick Batzias for GoodThing Productions, with major production investment from the New Zealand Film Commission in association with Screen Australia. Financed with support from VicScreen. Madman Entertainment is managing theatrical distribution in Australia and New Zealand, with Cornerstone handling international sales.
• A yet unnamed reality series will challenge a group of singles to relinquish their grasp on who they think their perfect partner is and instead choose someone based on a deeper connection.
Endemol Shine Australia developed the original format with Nine Network’s Michael Healy. The series is executive produced by Endemol Shine Australia’s Tara McWilliams and the Nine Network’s Adrian Swift and John Walsh and Stan’s Cailah Scobie and Amanda Duthie.
Nine’s Michael Healy
• Documentary Dawn of the Dolphins. Stan Originals and Onion TV present unprecedented access to the Queensland-based Dolphins as they prepare to transition from successful community club to elite professional force in the world’s leading rugby league competition.
Navigating the club through their first tentative steps is Wayne Bennett, a coaching giant who returns home to Brisbane to oversee the recruitment and help lay the building blocks for long-term success. A Stan Originals series produced by Onion TV.
Stan and Lionsgate development slate
Stan’s development partnership with Lionsgate will see the development of a new slate of Stan Originals, including these three.
• Family drama Prosper is set in the inner sanctum of a family bound together by unfathomable wealth and unchecked power as they build an evangelical megachurch hell-bent on global domination. Developed with the support of Stan, Lionsgate, Screen NSW and Screen Australia, Prosper is written by lead creative and executive producer Matt Cameron (Jack Irish, Secret City), Liz Doran (Barons, Please Like Me), Louise Fox (Glitch, Broadchurch) and Belinda Chayko (Fires, Stateless). The series is being developed by Jason Stephens (Lambs of God, Upright) and Helen Bowden (The Secret She Keeps) for Lingo Pictures.
Producers Jason Stephens and Helen Bowden
• Drama series The Geography of Friendship is jointly developed and produced by Aquarius Films and Rose Byrne’s Dollhouse Pictures for Lionsgate and Stan. Based on Sally Piper’s novel of the same name, it follows three female school friends in past and present timeframes.
Angie Fielder and Polly Staniford from Aquarius Films (The Unusual Suspects, Love Me, Lion) are developing and producing the series along with Dollhouse Pictures’ producer Jessica Carrera (Seriously Red) and executive producers Rose Byrne (Physical), Giula Sandler and Aquarius Films’ Miranda Culley. Sandler (White House Farm, Bloom) will lead the writing team, which includes Tamara Asmar (On the Ropes, Doctor Doctor) and Dollhouse Pictures’ Krew Boylan (Seriously Red). Shannon Murphy (Killing Eve, Babyteeth) and Gracie Otto (Stan Original Series Bump) will co-direct. Aquarius Films delivered two highly successful seasons of acclaimed Stan Original Series The Other Guy.
• Comedy crime thriller Population: 11 is developed by Jungle Entertainment for Stan with Lionsgate, and development funding from Screen NSW.
The story takes place in a tiny outback town where a man goes missing and a desperate stranger arrives to investigate its motley crew of townsfolk. Inspired by true events, Population: 11 is created by AACTA Award-winner Phil Lloyd (The Moodys, Review With Myles Barlow), who will executive produce alongside Trent O’Donnell (Stan Original Series No Activity, Ghosts) and Jason Burrows (Stan Original Series No Activity, Wakefield), with Bridget Callow-Wright producing (Stan Original Special No Activity: The Night Before Christmas). Jungle Entertainment received support for this project through Screen Australia and Australians in Film’s Global Producers Exchange program.
Jungle Entertainment’s Trent O’Donnell, Phil Lloyd, Chloe Rickard and Jason Burrows