Renowned Australian director Warwick Thornton has signed on to direct First Warrioran epic film about Australian Aboriginal resistance fighter Pemulwuy. Australian protagonist Sam Worthington (Avatars, Hacksaw ridge) and Jason Clarke (Oppenheimer, Zero Dark Thirty) have come on board for the lead parts, while a casting search is said to be underway for the lead role of Pemulwuy.
Pemulwuy, a Bidjigal man of the Sydney tribes, led a 12-year resistance against British settlers moving into his people's traditional lands when Australia was colonized in the late 1700s.
One of Australia's most admired directors, Thornton made his debut in 2009 with his directorial debut, Samson and Delilah won the Camera d'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival. His 2017 film Sweet country took home the Special Prize of the Venice Jury and his most recent work, The new guystarring Cate Blanchett, it premiered at Cannes last year.
First Warrior is supported by elders Bidjigal, Dharawal and Dharug and is led by an all-Indigenous creative team that includes Thornton, writer Jon Bell (The Moogai, Smart man) and writer-producer Andrew Dillon (The Champion, Outliers). Dillion is a direct descendant of both the Dharug and Gomeroi people and will produce First Warrior under its banner That's-A-Wrap Productions, a production company owned and operated by Indigenous First Nations.
The project is written by an all-star Australian writing team, including BAFTA-nominated screenwriter Stuart Beattie (Collateral, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl) and Phillip Noyce (Rabbit proof fence, Salt) and Shana Levine (The portable port, Charlie and boots).
“I am so honored to be a part of this amazing film. It's an important story with a fantastic script and legendary actors,” Thornton said in a statement.
Dillon added: “It has been a lifelong goal of mine to have our indigenous warriors celebrated on the big screen. I can't wait for audiences to not only experience Warwick's vision for this story, but to leave the cinema with a newfound appreciation for Australia's shared history.”