Narrow Road to the Deep North on Prime: first look

The new five-part drama series, based on Richard Flanagan’s novel, is directed by Justin Kurzel, and will launch on Prime in Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

Prime Video, Curio Pictures, and Sony Pictures Television have released first-look images from the Australian Original drama series The Narrow Road to the Deep North, which has wrapped production in New South Wales.

The new five-part drama series, based on Richard Flanagan’s Booker Prize-winning novel, has been adapted by writer Shaun Grant and directed by Justin Kurzel, and will launch on Prime Video in Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

Set against the shadows of World War II, the series tells the epic story of Lieutenant-Colonel Dorrigo Evans (Jacob Elordi), and how his all-too-brief love affair with Amy Mulvaney (Odessa Young) shaped his life.

The Narrow Road to the Deep North. Image: Prime Video.

The story is told over multiple time periods. A spokesperson for Prime said: ‘We journey from Evans’ childhood to his experience as a prisoner-of-war on the Thailand-Burma Railway as a young man, and later in life, as a respected surgeon and Australian war hero. 

The Narrow Road to the Deep North is a love story to sustain audiences through the darkest of times, an intimate character study illustrating the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity, and an investigation into a marriage and an unforgettable love affair.’

Elordi (Euphoria, Saltburn, Priscilla) and Young (Mothering Sunday, Shirley) are joined by an incredible Australian and international all-star cast, with Ciarán Hinds (Belfast) as the older Dorrigo Evans, and Olivia DeJonge (Elvis), Heather Mitchell (Love Me, Upright), Thomas Weatherall (Heartbreak High), Show Kasamatsu (Tokyo Vice), Charles An, and Simon Baker (Limbo, Breath).

New castings for the Australian series include; Essie Davis (Lynette), William Lodder (Rabbit), Eduard Geyl (Jimmy), Christian Byers (Rainbow), Sam Parsonson (Rooster), Reagan Mannix (Bonox), Fabian McCallum (Sheephead), Caelan McCarthy (Chum), David Howell (Tiny), Taki Abe (Colonel Kota), Masa Yamaguchi (Lieutenant Fukuhara), and Akira Fujii (Kenji Mogami).

The Narrow Road to the Deep North is produced by Curio Pictures, and will be distributed internationally by Sony Pictures Television. Jo Porter and Rachel Gardner from Curio Pictures both serve as executive producers. Justin Kurzel, Shaun Grant and Richard Flanagan are also executive producers, with Alexandra Taussig producing. Major production investment has come from Screen Australia, with assistance from the NSW Government through Screen NSW’s Made in NSW and PDV Funds.

A streaming date is yet to be announced for The Narrow Road to the Deep North.

Paul Dalgarno is author of the novels A Country of Eternal Light (2023) and Poly (2020); the memoir And You May Find Yourself (2015); and the creative non-fiction book Prudish Nation (2023). He was formerly Deputy Editor of The Conversation and joined ScreenHub as Managing Editor in 2022. X: @pauldalgarno. Insta: @dalgarnowrites