Australian Streamer Stan’s Slate Includes Cop Series From Universal’s Matchbox, Trent O’Donnell Comedy-Drama ‘Sunny Nights’ & Christmas Film From ‘Colin From Accounts’ Producers

Jesse Whittock
·6 min read
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EXCLUSIVE: Australian streamer Stan has today unveiled a 25-strong slate, adding scripted titles from Matchbox Pictures and the producers behind Colin From Accounts, acquisitions from the UK and U.S. and a new host for Drag Race Down Under to its ranks.

Content from the likes of All3Media, AMC, Banijay, the BBC, Fremantle, ITV, Lionsgate, Universal Internatational Studios, Paramount, Sony and Warner Bros Discovery is on the slate, which was showcased at the iconic Sydney Opera House as Stan’s latest salvo in Australia’s competitive streaming market.

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Among the key scripted originals is Critical Incident, a psychological crime thriller from Matchbox, the Australian production subsidiary of Universal Studio Group-owned Universal International Studios. Written by Sarah Bassiuoni (The Secrets She Keeps), it recently completed production in Western Sydney, with major production investment from Screen Australia.

The six-part show depicts life in the Western suburbs of Sydney and delves into the complex world of policing and the consequences on those most vulnerable. It will launch this year.

Akshay Khanna (Polite Society), Zoë Boe (The Tree), Roxie Mohebbi (Shortland Street), Hunter Page-Lochard (The Newsreader), Jai Waetford (Neighbours), Jackson Heywood (Bloom) and Zindzi Okenyo (Wolf Like Me), with Simone Kessell (Yellowjackets) and Erik Thomson (Black Snow) star. Bassiuoni wrote the show alongside Ruth Underwood, Hannah Fitzpatrick and Natasha Henry, with Bree-Anne Sykes the producer and Sheila Jayadev and Debbie Lee from Matchbox, and Scobie and Duthie exec producing. All3Media International has sales rights.

Dark comedic drama series Sunny Nights is directed by Trent O’Donnell, written by Ty Freer, Nick Keetch, Marieke Hardy, Lally Katz, Clare Sladden and Niki Aken. It follows two siblings who venture to Sydney determined to grow their struggling spray tan business, but when get caught up in the city’s criminal underworld. Jungle Entertainment, which is behind Stan’s Population 11, and The Great‘s Echo Lake Entertainment are producing with major production investment from Stan in association with Screen Australia. Additional finance came from Screen NSW through the Made in NSW Fund. International sales are with Cineflix Rights.

Watching You is based on J.P. Pomare’s novel ‘The Last Guests’ and follows a woman who sets out to unmask an insidious voyeur who threatens to destroy her life after a one-night stand is captured by hidden cameras. Alexei Mizin and Ryan van Dijk adapted the book for TV, with Lingo Pictures producing in association with its parent, ITV Studios, which manages international distribution.

Also on the slate is Good Cop/Bad Cop, the CW and Roku co-production starring Leighton Meester, Luke Cook and Clancy Brown that we told you about first today.

Original Christmas film Nugget (working title) follows a city dermatologist who returns home to confront both her dysfunctional family when their beloved dog becomes sick. Imogen McCluskey directs, Naomi Just produces, Colin From Accounts producers Rob Gibson and Ian Collie executive produce, and Vic Zerbst and Jenna Owen write.

Returning scripted shows include Black Snow season 2, Bump season 5, Scrublands season 2, Poker Face season 2 and Ten Pound Poms season 2, the latter again co-produced with the BBC.

On the acquisitions front, Stan has bought pre-bought British shows Nightsleeper, Joan and Red Eye, and forthcoming Starz shows Spartacus: House of Ashur and Hunting Wives. Stan already has the likes of Yellowstone, Hacks, Twisted Metal and Walking Dead shows Dead City, Daryl Dixon and The Ones Who Live.

Previous announced originals launching this year include Population 11, which we told you about in January, Sky and Peacock co-pro The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Windcatcher, The Surfer and Thou Shalt Not Steal.

Drag Race In Australia 

Stan also confirmed the popular Drag Race format is getting the Aussie treatment in Drag Race Down Under.

Michelle Visage will host the series, which World of Wonder is making in collaboration with Warner Bros. NZ. WOW Presents Plus will stream the series outside of Australia. Aussie comedian Rhys Nicholson will appear in the show alongside Australian drag royalty.

Stan is also getting in on the all-access sports doc scene with Trailblazers, a doc seris about Australia’s much-loved women’s national soccer team, known as the Matildas. Ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the series will feature current and former players including captain Sam Kerr. Savage Films, Milestone Films and LM Films Production are attached with principal production funding from Mecca M-Power in association with Screen Australia and VicScreen.

There will also be docs on global corruption in the oil industry is 1441 Productions’ Revealed: Bribe, Inc, a daily homicide from the perspective of a children in Fringe Dweller Films’ Revealed: KillJoy, and a harrowing Melbourne abuse scandal in Roadshow Show and In Films’ Revealed: Malta Leifer, which Fremantle will sell globally.

Stan’s latest slate comes amid a growing SVOD market in Australia, where the likes of Binge, Netflix and Paramount+ are all actively commissioning original series. The Nine Network and Fairfax Media-backed streamer launched in 2015 and has since been behind 90 originals such as No Activity since then. It’s was the leading commercial commissioner in Australia in 2023, according to Screen Australia’s 33rd Annual Drama Report.

Stan CEO Martin Kugeler said: “Stan is exceptionally well positioned in an evolving SVOD landscape, with a clearly differentiated strategy focusing on profitable growth. Our significant investment in Australian premium Stan Originals is a key part of our success and we continue to acquire global hits like Yellowstone and The Walking Dead for Australian audiences. This year, for the first time, we will also stream the Olympic and Paralympic Games live and on-demand on Stan.

“The breadth and depth of our premium exclusive content, and the way in which we market them, supported by the reach of the Nine Group, allows us to compete with international streamers and solidifies our position as one of the most successful single territory SVOD streamers in the world.”

Stan’s Chief Content Officer Cailah Scobie added: “Stan has always championed exceptional storytelling and premium Australian content across all genres, and this world-class slate of 25 titles exemplifies this. We remain steadfast in our commitment to championing fresh and established creatives, and elevating Australian storytelling through our collaborations with the best local and international talent.”

“While our focus is always on Australian audiences, Stan continues to showcase our original productions on a global stage through our international partnerships with the world’s biggest studios and distributors. Stan Originals connect with Australians, and with this diverse and consequential line-up, we continue to deliver what audiences have told us they want on their screens.”

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