Titles in development include Virginia Heath’s Mystery Ride and Taika Waititi’s Hunt For The Wilderpeople.

Australia/New Zealand production, post production and distribution company Curious is ramping up. Here in Cannes, the company has announced further details of its production slate.

Among the features Curious has in development is Mystery Ride, a UK/New Zealand co-production to be directed by Virginia Heath (From Scotland with Love), with a cast including Frances O’Connor, Peter Mullan and Sam Neill.  Producers are Lene Bausager of Ugly Duckling Films, Faction North’s Grant Keir and Matt Noonan. TrustNordisk is handling international sales.

Another Curious title, Taika Waititi’s comic adventure Hunt For The Wilderpeople is now in production in New Zealand. The film, which will star Sam Neill (Peaky Blinders) and Julian Dennison, is Waititi’s follow-up tovampire mockumentary What We Do In The Shadows.   

Waititi will produce with Carthew Neal, Leanne Saunders and Matt Noonan. Madman Entertainment has acquired all rights for Australia and New Zealand and will release in NZ in partnership with the producers.

Also on the Curious development slate is low budget US feature Warm Blood. Based on the cult memoir Teen Book, Warm Blood will be directed by LA-based skateboarder, artist and filmmaker Rick Charnoski, from a script by Amiel Courtin-Wilson. Memory’s Sebastian Pardo and Riel Roch Decter will produce alongside James Hewison. Matt Noonan and Sarah Noonan will Executive Produce.  Curious will take distribution rights in Australia and NZ. 

Meanwhile, Pan Nalin (Samsara) returns to The Himalayas with Beyond The Unknown World, a NZ-India co-production, with lead cast including David Wenham, Sia Trokenheim and Emmanuelle Beart.  The film, about an estranged couple who travel to India to search for their missing daughter, is in post production at Curious Auckland. Arclight Films is handling international sales. Curious will distribute in Australia and NZ.