Boy Swallows Universe is coming to Netflix, and the streaming service has announced the cast of the new show. Starring Travis Fimmel, Simon Baker, Phoebe Tonkin, and others, the series is based on the novel by Trent Dalton. The story follows a 12-year-old boy who grows up in a depressed area in Australia and learns how to be a good man from unusual parental figures — a prison escapee in his 90s, an alcoholic father, and a mother he adores. Production has begun on the eight-episode limited series.
Netflix revealed more about the series in a press release.
Production of the adaptation of Trent Dalton’s iconic Australian novel, Boy Swallows Universe, by Australia’s Brouhaha Entertainment together with Anonymous Content, and Chapter One, has begun in Brisbane, Australia.
The 8 part limited series will screen globally on Netflix and 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 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 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).
Directors are Bharat Nalluri (Spooks, Hustle, Life on Mars), Jocelyn Moorhouse (Proof, How to Make an American Quilt, A Thousand Acres), and Kim Mordaunt (The Rocket, Fires, Wakefield).
Director of Photography is Shelly Farthing-Dawe, Production designer is Michelle McGahey, Costume Designer is Kerry Thompson, Hair and Makeup Designer is Angela Conte and Casting Director is Nikki Barrett.
Boy Swallows Universe is supported by the Queensland Government through Screen Queensland’s Production Attraction Strategy.
Check out the announcement for the new Netflix series below. A premiere date for the series will be announced later.
Boy Swallows Universe is being adapted into an 8 part limited series starring Travis Fimmel as Lyle Orlik, Simon Baker as Robert Bell, and Phoebe Tonkin as Frances Bell.
Production on this adaptation of Trent Dalton’s iconic Australian novel is currently underway in Brisbane. pic.twitter.com/tK5FI3Smyb
— Netflix (@netflix) August 31, 2022
What do you think? Are you planning to check out Boy Swallows Universe when it eventually premieres?
Boy Swallows… not exactly a new premise is it…. But simon baker, thats more than enough to make it transparent what quality this show is going for… i’d guess it will be more of a ‘gag’ or a ‘choke’.