Stan, Australia’s unrivalled home of original productions, today announced filming has commenced in Homebush, NSW on the brand new Stan Original Film Christmas Ransom, starring acclaimed comedian Matt Okine (Stan Original Series The Other Guy), TV Week Logie Award-winner Miranda Tapsell (Top End Wedding, The Sapphires, Love Child) and Ed Oxenbould (Stan Original Series Bloom, Puberty Blues, Paper Planes), with the film set to premiere this festive season, only on Stan.
Written by Elliot Vella, Gretel Vella and Timothy Walker (A Sunburnt Christmas) and produced by Every Cloud Productions (a Global City Group company), the creators of the award-winning Stan Original Film A Sunburnt Christmas and the Stan Original Series Eden, Christmas Ransom is a riotous comedy-adventure inspired by family favourites such as Home Alone, Die Hard and Elf, packed with heart and hijinks.
When beloved toy store, Harrington and Sons, is hijacked on Christmas Eve by a pair of bumbling criminals and the struggling owner (Okine) held for ransom, a pair of shoplifting kids stumble into the heist, where they are forced to team up with a heavily pregnant security officer (Tapsell) to save Christmas for everyone!
Christmas Ransom will also star Genevieve Lemon (Stan Original Series The Tourist, Prisoner, The Power of the Dog), Bridie McKim (Stan Original Series Bump, Dive Club) and young stars Evan Stanhope (Thor: Love & Thunder), Tahlia Sturzaker (I Am Mother, Ascendant) and Chai Hansen (The Newsreader) round out the cast.
Last week, Federal Communications Minister, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP visited the set of the production to meet the cast and crew as Stan continues to ramp up its investment in locally produced content as part of its commitment to deliver approximately 30 percent of its exclusive first-run slate from Stan Originals.
L-R: Stan CCO Cailah Scobie, Evan Stanhope, Stan CEO Martin Kugeler, Matt Okine, Tahlia Sturzaker, Nine CEO Mike Sneesby and the Hon Michelle Rowland MP.
Stan Chief Content Officer Cailah Scobie said: “Our Stan Original Christmas films have quickly become a beloved staple of our annual lineup, following the success of A Sunburnt Christmas and Christmas on the Farm. We are elated to again be working with the talented team at Every Cloud Productions, the brilliant writing team of Elliot Vella, Gretel Vella and Timothy Walker and such a fantastic cast to bring a fun and heartfelt tale to our screens this holiday season.”
Drew Grove, CEO and Executive Producer at Every Cloud Productions, said: “Christmas Ransom will bring the same irreverent humour and warmth everyone loved in A Sunburnt Christmas, with the added fun of some wild, high-stakes action hijinks. With a lot of mischief and heart, it will give everyone the chance to laugh, cry and cheer together for a film that is sure to become one of Australia’s classic Christmas tales.”
The Stan Original Film Christmas Ransom is created and executive produced by Drew Grove, Fiona Eagger, Deb Cox, and Mike Jones (all: A Sunburnt Christmas), directed by Adele Vuko (Skitbox, Wham Bam Thank You Ma’am, writer: Love Me), and produced by Naomi Just (The Unusual Suspects, Born to Spy, Ronny Chieng: International Student).
Christmas Ransom is financed by Stan in conjunction with Screen NSW under the Made in NSW Fund, Fulcrum Media Finance and Every Cloud Productions.
