‘Faraway Downs’ Trailer – Luhrmann’s ‘Australia’ Re-Edited as a Series
by Alex Billington
October 19, 2023
Source: YouTube
“The only thing you really own is your story… just trying to live a good one.” Surprise!! After the success of Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis last year, they’re revisiting one of his least successful films. Hulu revealed an official trailer for the mini-series Faraway Downs, which is a re-edit of Luhrmann’s 2008 movie Australia. We actually covered this movie extensively back in 2008 when it was first released, including with editorials and more. “An iconic duo, to say the least.” Faraway Downs is the reimagining of the film Australia told in six parts about an English aristocrat & a rough-hewn cattle drover who join forces to protect the million-acre cattle ranch of her late husband. Although Hulu describes Australia as a “cinematic masterpiece”, it didn’t do as well as they hoped; now it seems it will play better as a series. Nicole Kidman & Hugh Jackman co-star, with Brandon Walters, David Wenham, Bryan Brown, Jack Thompson, and the late David Gulpilil. I forgot how good this movie looks, I was a big fan of it back in 2008. And I’m curious how they’re getting an extra 3 hours of footage to use for this – though I guess that means I’ll have to watch to find out.
Here’s the official trailer for Baz Luhrmann’s series Faraway Downs, direct from Hulu’s YouTube:
Centers on an English aristocrat, Lady Sarah Ashley (Kidman) who travels around the world to confront her wayward husband and sell an unusual asset: a million-acre cattle ranch in the Australian Outback called “Faraway Downs“. Following the death of her husband, a ruthless Australian cattle baron, King Carney (Brown), plots to take her land and she reluctantly joins forces with a rough-hewn cattle drover (Jackman) to protect her ranch. The sweeping adventure romance is explored through the eyes of young Nullah (Walters), a bi-racial Indigenous Australian child caught up in the government’s draconian racial policy now referred to as the “Stolen Generations.” Together the trio experiences four life-altering years, a love affair between Lady Ashley & the Drover, and the unavoidable impact of World War II on Northern Australia. Faraway Downs is co-written and directed by Australian filmmaker Baz Luhrmann of Moulin Rouge!, Romeo + Juliet, and Strictly Ballroom, plus The Great Gatsby and Elvis. Luhrmann is also credited as the writer (the original film’s script is by Stuart Beattie and Luhrmann & Ronald Harwood and Richard Flanagan). Executive produced by Catherine Knapman, Catherine Martin, Schuyler Weiss, Luhrmann. Hulu debuts Faraway Downs streaming on Hulu starting November 26th, 2023 this fall. Want to watch this?