A new homegrown dark comedy with bite is set to sink its teeth into Sydney, as Fangs, the directorial debut of actor/writer Lucy McKendrick, gears up to shoot from August at Disney Studios.
As reported in IF, Toni Collette and Joel Edgerton are locked in to lead the feature Australian film.
Currently in pre-production, Fangs follows McKendrick herself as Teddy Turner – a wealthy twenty-something trust fund kid grappling with a gnawing existential crisis. Her life, on paper, is picture-perfect: luxury home, high-flying job, and a well-connected fiancé. But her days are dominated by Ralph – her father and boss – who seems more interested in grooming her partner for success than her. The twist? Their family business is the morally murky world of privately-run prisons.
Enter Edgerton’s character, Freddie ‘Fangs’ Ferguson – a notorious career criminal doing time in one of Teddy’s own facilities. As an unlikely mentor, Fangs awakens a dormant savagery in Teddy, fuelling her rise through the corporate ranks while dragging her toward a reckoning with her darker instincts, all with a wedding on the horizon.
Collette’s role is yet to be revealed.
ScreenHub: Penny Lane is Dead: South Aussie horror stalks into spotlight at Cannes 2025
Backed by Screen Australia with major production investment, Fangs is being produced by Rebecca Yeldham (The Motorcycle Diaries) for Ahimsa Films and Michael Costigan (Brokeback Mountain) for Aggregate Films, alongside Charlie Polinger and Toby Nalbandian of Truant Pictures.
International sales are being handled by Cornerstone, with CAA Media Finance co-repping US rights.
Fangs: what people are saying
Producers Yeldham and Costigan praised McKendrick’s voice as both bold and original, saying:
‘It’s rare to come across a script that’s as entertaining, fearless and timely as Fangs. We’re thrilled to support Lucy in launching her debut with two of Australia’s most iconic and beloved actors.’
Screen Australia’s director of narrative content, Louise Gough, echoed that enthusiasm, calling the film ‘sharp and contemporary with bite in all the right ways.’ She added:
‘The powerhouse casting of Toni Collette and Joel Edgerton positions Fangs for strong international and Australian appeal.’
With satire, violence, and identity crises all on the menu, Fangs promises to take a bloody chunk out of corporate power structures – and possibly a few wedding cakes along the way.
More details, including release timelines and additional casting, are expected as production kicks off in August.
