Australian actor and filmmaker Joel Edgerton will star in a new crime thriller that is confirmed to shoot in South Australia after the coronavirus crisis.
The Unknown Man is an upcoming feature film written, and set to be directed by Australian actor and filmmaker Tom Wright. Announced at the European Film Market in Berlin earlier this year, the film is confirmed to be filmed in South Australia as a local film production. The talented Joel Edgerton is set to star in the film, alongside English actor Sean Harris.
A crime thriller, the film tells the story of two strangers named Henry and Mark, who meet and befriend one another. The catch is that Henry is unaware that Mark is an undercover veteran police officer who is working to convict him for an unsolved murder case from years earlier.
The story concept reminds me of the original Point Break movie with Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze. I say that in a good way.
The Australian film will be distributed by Transmission Films, and will be produced by Edgerton, along with Rachel Gardner of See-Saw Films, and others. Regarding the challenges that the film industry are currently facing, Gardner said:
“This is a challenging time for our industry, particularly for crew, but we are gearing up to move straight into production on The Unknown Man, which will be shooting in and around Adelaide, as soon as is practicable.”
South Australian film production companies have expressed the opportunities that will come from this major production. The South Australian Film Corporation and film producers are hoping to uncover local talent, with many potential roles available for Australian crew as well as extras. Those who are interested are able to submit applications of interest to the production online.
As of yet, no official filming dates have been confirmed. However, production is aiming to begin around Adelaide once the Australian lockdown restrictions are lifted.
Edgerton’s Career: Why He’s Great
Edgerton was born and raised in Sydney. After attending the Nepean Drama School at the University of Western Sydney, Edgerton went on to appear in major films such as Star Wars: Episode II and III, and Ned Kelly.
He started out his acting career in minor roles, but since then, Edgerton has risen to more important supporting roles as well as lead roles. We’ve seen him star alongside Tom Hardy in the sports drama Warrior, and Leonardo DiCaprio in Baz Luhrmann’s 2013 adaptation of The Great Gatsby.
What I really want to talk about though, is that amazing film Edgerton made a few years back. In 2015, Edgerton produced and directed The Gift, a psychological thriller based on his own original screenplay. The film stars Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall as a married couple, and Edgerton himself as a mysterious man who continuously intimidates them.
Without spoiling anything, we learn that there is a dark history between Simon (Bateman) and Gordon (Edgerton) from back in their high school days, which has come back to haunt Simon in his present as a grown man.
The film is outstanding, and a damn impressive showcase of Edgerton’s talents beyond just acting. In my opinion, it’s creepy in all the right ways, and actually has a surprisingly deep moral at the end. The Gift was praised for Edgerton’s direction, screenplay, and his performance, as well as that of Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it.
Edgerton’s career is an inspiring one, considering he started from the bottom in Sydney, and is where he is today. His work has paid off and he deserves the credit. I’m looking forward to The Unknown Man, and whatever else he does in the future.
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