A third season of ABC drama series The Newsreader has been confirmed, along with eight other projects that have all received funding from Screen Australia.
Season 3 of The Newsreader will be six episodes long, and will continue to dig behind the indelible images of the 1980s for a compelling, intimate and vital look at an era of great change.
Much of the team behind The Newsreader season 2 will return, including director/executive producer Emma Freeman, writer/producer Michael Lucas, writers Niki Aken and Adrian Russell Wills, producer/executive producer Joanna Werner and executive producer Stuart Menzies. New to the crew is Christine Bartlett (Five Bedrooms), who is the head writer behind season 3.
The Newsreader also received major production investment from the ABC in association with VicScreen.
Sharing in Screen Australia’s $10 million of production funding is: The Fox (feature film), An Ideal Wife (feature film), Ladies in Black (series), My Melbourne (feature film), Runt (feature film), He Ain’t Heavy (feature film), Inside (feature film), and Ginger and the Vegesaurs s3 (children’s series).
Read: The Newsreader Season 2 on ABC review: still a winner
The Fox stars Jai Courtney (Storm Boy, Suicide Squad) and is from the producers of supernatural horror film and worldwide box office hit, Talk to Me.
An Ideal Wife is about the story of Oscar Wilde’s wife Constance Lloyd from writer/director/producer Sophie Hyde (BAFTA-nominated Good Luck To You, Leo Grande) and stars Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones).
The reimagined television drama Ladies in Black is adapted from the original novel The Women In Black by Madeleine St John.
‘These projects speak to the incredible breadth, quality and relatability of Australian stories,’ said Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke. ‘Australia’s screen sector is something we should all be proud of. Australian stories allow us to learn more about ourselves, come to understand each other and let the world get to know us. The Australian Government is proud to support an empowered and innovative Australian screen industry.’
‘This latest slate announcement presents an exceptional line-up of feature films and television series that have the ingredients to surprise, entertain and translate on a global scale,’ said Screen Australia’s CEO Graeme Mason. ‘These high calibre projects speak to the remarkable talent within the Australian film industry, and the international appeal that Australian stories hold.
‘This funding underscores Screen Australia’s commitment to nurturing local talent, showcasing their creativity with audiences worldwide, and supporting innovative stories that resonate. Whether you love crime drama, comedy or period dramas – there really is something for everyone in this unique mix of projects,’ Mason added.
In 2022/23FY Screen Australia supplied over $40 million of production funding for feature films, television dramas and children’s programs.
The Newsreader season 3 will premiere on ABC in the near future.
