Production is now underway on The Mark, a new spy thriller directed by Justin Chadwick (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, The Other Boleyn Girl) that is filming on Queensland’s Gold Coast.
Led by Jessica Alba (Trigger Warning) and Tom Hopper (The Umbrella Academy, Game of Thrones), the film centres on Eden (Alba), an undercover operative whose latest mission draws an unsuspecting single father, Ben Dawson (Hopper), into a world of espionage and deception.
Mistaken for a notorious assassin, Ben becomes the perfect cover for Eden’s plan to expose a corrupt political network – but the mix-up makes him a target for intelligence agencies and criminal organisations alike.
Written by Ronnie Christensen (Passengers, Incarnate), The Mark promises a mix of high-stakes action and emotional tension as the pair navigate international conspiracies and personal survival.
The Mark – quick links
Local and international collaboration
The production brings together an international network of producers, including Alba under her Lady Metalmark Entertainment banner, Arianne Fraser and Delphine Perrier for Highland Film Group (Land of Bad, Arcadian), Kia Jam for K.Jam Media (The Misfits), Kosaku Yada for Westbrook Studios (Bad Boys: Ride or Die, King Richard), Tracey Vieira for Hoodlum (Land of Bad) and Peter Jákl (Locked).
Executive producers include Will Smith and Miguel Melendez for Westbrook Studios, Tracey Nyberg for Lady Metalmark, Justin Chadwick, and Tracey Robertson and Nathan Mayfield for Hoodlum. Highland Film Group is handling international sales and co-financing alongside Aperture Media Partners.
Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney confirmed that the agency is supporting the production. ‘Brisbane’s Hoodlum has partnered again with Highland Film Group, and now with K.Jam Media and Westbrook Studios, to produce The Mark, leveraging the sophisticated screen ecosystem that South East Queensland offers,’ she said.
‘Productions like this also provide vital training opportunities for our emerging screen practitioners through Screen Queensland’s Attachment program, offering paid placements under the mentorship of Queensland’s renowned crew base.’
Highland Film Group CEO Arianne Fraser said, ‘After the great success of Land of Bad, we’re delighted to once again be partnering with Hoodlum to bring this cinematic-scale espionage thriller to life.’
Producer Kia Jam described the experience of working in Queensland as ‘collaborative and energising,’ citing the skills of local cast and crew and the coastal locations used for the film.
The Mark brings global attention to the Gold Coast
The Mark joins a growing roster of international and locally produced titles shot in Queensland, including Subversion, Voltron, The Bluff and Balls Up (Amazon MGM Studios), Eden and Thirteen Lives (Imagine Entertainment), Legendary Pictures’ Godzilla x Kong: Supernova, and Netflix titles The Mosquito Bowl and Allen.
Read: Bluey’s Ludo Studio shooting family film Allen in QLD for Netflix
Queensland’s Minister for the Arts John-Paul Langbroek said, ‘It’s fantastic that The Mark will not just be filmed on the Gold Coast but set here, putting the sunshine state on the map for a global audience.’
He added: ‘This latest blockbuster will contribute an estimated $11.7 million to the local economy and support around 140 employment opportunities for cast and crew.
‘The Crisafulli Government is proud to back our state’s screen industry through Screen Queensland, to ensure our local cast, crews and creatives can build enduring careers right here in Queensland.’
The film is supported by the Australian Government’s Location Offset, with additional assistance from Screen Queensland’s Production Attraction Strategy and the City of Gold Coast’s Screen Attraction Program.
Recent Screen Queensland-supported productions include Allen, Bluey, The Mosquito Bowl and the Jack Black and Paul Rudd vehicle Anaconda.
