Morfydd Clark Jai Courtney

Source: Guy Coombes / Gage Skidmore (licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)

Morfydd Clark, Jai Courtney

Saint Maud’s Morfydd Clark and The Suicide Squad actor Jai Courtney are set to star in darkly comic folk story The Fox, the debut feature from Australian writer-director Dario Russo, with UK outfit Protagonist Pictures representing worldwide sales, and co-repping North American rights with UTA.

The heir to a vineyard dynasty takes drastic action after discovering his fiancé is cheating on him. He decides to follow the advice of a fox, who promises him a way to transform his doomed relationship, which involves pushing his loved one down a magic hole.

Kristina Ceyton and Samantha Jennings produce for Australia’s Causeway Films, whose previous credits include The Babadook and Talk To Me. Executive producers are Protagonist Pictures’ Dave Bishop, Luane Gauer and George Hamilton.

Principal photography will commence in Australia in mid-2023, with sales launching at AFM.

Russo’s previous credits include as a writer-director on Australian action TV series Danger 5.

Clark most recently starred as Galadriel in Amazon’s The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power.

“Dario is a one-of-a-kind talent and a writer-director we have wanted to work with since seeing his cult hit series Danger 5,” said the producers. “It’s an honour to support him to make his debut feature, which is a brilliant and absurdly funny satire about human relationships and the struggle between our desire for domestication and our animal natures. We are thrilled to bring together exemplary lead actors in Morfydd and Jai, who will bring reality, nuance and charisma to these roles.”

“Dario is a trailblazing visionary and the perfect helmer for this striking fable filled with gallows humor, which explores desire, deceit and what truly goes on behind the façade of normality,” added Bishop.