If you were an Australian teen in the '90s, chances are you got sucked in to John Marsden's novel, Tomorrow: When The War Began. Well, they're making it into a feature film ... starring that chick from Neighbours.
Director Stuart Beattie announced today that he "has found his Ellie Linton", the pivotal character in Marsden’s series of books which have sold nearly 2 million copies in Australia and New Zealand.
Nineteen year-old Caitlin Stasey (who most of you will recognise as Rachel Kinski from Neighbours), landed the lead role.
“There was an exhaustive audition process and I have been privileged to see some very talented young actors," Beattie said.
"Caitlin captured the perfect balance of intelligence, vulnerability and strength that is essential to this character.”
This will be Beattie's directorial debut, though he has a background in screenwriting (credits include Australia, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl). Hopefully he does a decent job of it.
Beattie said: “I was instantly attracted to this project because I was looking to make a character-based but commercial action movie set in Australia that could compete on the international stage.
"Tomorrow has all the action, but also has the heart. Ellie and her friends are all wonderful, complex, engaging characters who make the ride worth so much more than the price of admission.”
The film will be produced entirely in Australia with principal photography scheduled to commence in the Hunter Valley at the end of September.