Sean Penn & Matthew Fox Cast In Australian Comedy Series ‘C*A*U*G*H*T’ For Streamer Stan, ITVX Takes UK Rights From Fremantle

Jesse Whittock
·3 min read
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EXCLUSIVE: Two-time Oscar winner and Gaslit star Sean Penn and Lost‘s Matthew Fox are set as leads of an Australian satirical comedy series for streaming service Stan. The pair will star in C*A*U*G*H*T, a six-part series from Kick Gurry (Edge of Tomorrow) that takes aim at fame and stardom.

Joining them are series creator Gurry, Bella Heathcote (Bloom), Bryan Brown (Bloom), Erik Thomson (Black Snow), Ben O’Toole (Hacksaw Ridge), Lincoln Younes (After the Verdict), Alexander England (Black Snow), Mel Jarnson (Mortal Kombat), Fayssal Bazzi (Stateless), Dorian Nkono (The Twelve) and Rebecca Breeds (Clarice).

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Stan plans to launch the series, which is in production, in 2023. It is producing in association with Fremantle, which also has international distribution rights and has struck an exclusive UK deal with ITV’s upcoming streaming service, ITVX.

Satirical comedy C*A*U*G*H*T follows four Australian soldiers sent on a secret mission to a war-torn country. Mistaken for Americans, they are captured by freedom fighters and produce a hostage video that goes viral. When the soldiers reach celebrity status, they realize that being caught might just be the best thing that could’ve happened to them.

Gurry created the series, and also produces and directs. Penn is an executive producer, alongside producers John Schwarz and Michael Schwarz (Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan) for Deep Water Films and Brendan Donoghue (June Again). Executive producers for Stan are Cailah Scobie and Amanda Duthie.

“The biggest challenge for me was creating something worthy enough of all my insanely talented friends,” said Gurry. “I genuinely cannot wait to share this show with the whole world and look forward to the internet telling me how terribly I missed the mark.”

Scobie, Stan’s Chief Content Officer, said: “To have an award-winning international superstar like Sean Penn join a superb cast that includes major Australian and Hollywood actors like Bryan Brown, Bella Heathcote, Fayssal Bazzi and Matthew Fox is a real coup. Helmed by the extraordinary Kick Gurry, C*A*U*G*H*T marks yet another blockbuster addition to our growing slate of locally produced, world-class Stan Originals — with the series promising to poke fun at celebrity culture, while exploring the often outrageous price of fame.”

ITV’s Head of Content Acquisitions, Sasha Breslau said the “star-studded cast and satirical humor will be a real treat for ITVX viewers next year.”

Jamie Lynn, EVP Co-Productions, International, at Fremantle added: “Stan continues to set a high bar for premium originals and with the mirrored ambition of the soon to launch ITVX, we knew this could be a perfect partnership. Kick Gurry’s contagious enthusiasm and delightful scripts immediately convinced us this was a special and timely project unlike anything else in the market. The fact that A-list talent like Sean Penn, Matthew Fox and others quickly came to the same conclusion, along with an array of star studded cameos, only reaffirmed this. C*A*U*G*H*T is going to surprise people in 2023 and we can’t wait to share it with the world.”

Penn is repped by CAA and Hirsch Wallerstein. Fox is repped by United Talent and Entertainment 360. Gurry is repped by United.

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