It was only a matter of time for Zac Efron to start appearing in Australian productions. The US export, who is currently living the life in Byron Bay with his Aussie girlfriend, has landed a brand new role, in a Stan original film, Gold.
Now, the 33-year-old has shared a behind-the-scenes photo from the film on his Instagram account.
“No signal out here in the desert…,” he captioned the still taken by Matt Nettheim.
The film, which has a projected release of 2021 (on the streaming platform and in cinemas), is directed by AACTA Award-winning actor and filmmaker Anthony Hayes (Animal Kingdom) who will also co-star along with Susie Porter (Ladies in Black).
Based on the screenplay written by Hayes and Polly Smyth, Gold is a taut thriller about greed and the lengths people will go to secure themselves a fortune.
When two drifters travelling through the outback stumble across the biggest gold nugget ever found, the dream of immense wealth and greed takes hold. They hatch a plan to protect and excavate their bounty with one man leaving to secure the necessary equipment. The other man remains and must endure the harsh desert climate, preying wolves and intruders, whilst battling the creeping doubt that he has been abandoned to his own fate
“This is an exciting, gripping and timely tale about greed, humanity, who we are, what we’ve done to the world and where we are heading if we aren’t careful,” Hayes said in a statement.
“To have Zac Efron as my main man on this film is an absolute gift and to see what he is creating already is like nothing we’ve seen from him before. I can’t wait to deliver this bold, visceral and cinematic film to audiences all around the world.”
Paul Wiegard from Madman Films said that the film is “time-honoured”.
“Gold is a study of what motivates human greed. This is a time-honoured filmic theme, and Gold’s dramatic premise, stark and primal setting, well-developed tension, crucible, and twist ending give it strong theatrical potential,” Wiegard said.
Stan recently unveiled that it will be ramping up its slate of local and internationally produced “Stan Original” television series and films.
Accompanying Gold is Eden, Bump, Dom and Adrian: 2020, After The Night, A Sunburnt Christmas.