Variety January 24, 2022 by Patrick Frater
Top Australian actor Damon Herriman and U.K.-Italian star Greta Scacchi join “Succession” star Sarah Snook in horror-thriller “Run Rabbit Run” from “The Handmaid’s Tale” director Daina Reid. The film starts production in Victoria and South Australia this week.
Snook replaced Elizabeth Moss who was previously attached, but who dropped out late last year due to scheduling clashes. Snook plays a fertility doctor whose firm grasp on the cycle of life is put to the test as her young daughter begins to exhibit increasingly strange behavior.
The script was written by acclaimed South Australian novelist Hannah Kent (“Devotion,” “Burial Rites”) from an original idea developed with Carver Films. Anna McLeish and Sarah Shaw of Carver Films (“Relic,” “Partisan,” “Snowtown”) are producing.
Los Angeles-based XYZ Films is executive producing, financing and handling world sales, having taken over sales duties from STX International which previously touted the project at 2020’s virtual Cannes Market. Storyd Group’s Deanne Weir and Olivia Humphrey and Filmology’s Jack Christian and D.J. McPherson are also executive producing.
The film’s director of photography is Bonnie Elliott. Production designer is Vanessa Cerne. Costume designer is Marion Boyce. Make up and hair designer is Angela Conte. Casting director is Allison Meadows, Mullinars. Casting editor is Sean Lahiff.
The film has major production investment from XYZ and Screen Australia, in association with Film Victoria, the South Australian Film Corporation and Soundfirm. Umbrella and Maslow Entertainment are handling Australia and New Zealand distribution.
Herriman has credits including “Judy & Punch,” “Once Upon A Time in Hollywood,” “Mindhunter,” “Justified” and “The Tourist.” Scacchi has credits including “The Player” and Looking for Alibrandi.”
The three established stars are joined by newcomer Lily LaTorre in a significant role. And by Trevor
Jamieson (“Storm Boy,” “Bran Nue Dae”), Neil Meville (“Five Bedrooms,” “Brilliant Lies”), Naomi Rukavina (“Pawno,” “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”), Georgina Naidu (“SeaChange,” “Newton’s Law”), Genevieve Morris (“Bloom,” “No Activity”), Katherine Slattery (“Balibo,” “The Secret Life of Us”) and newcomer Sunny Whelan in supporting roles.
Reid has previously directed Snook in limited series “The Secret River.” Reid has also directed Apple TV’s “The Shining Girls,” HBO’s “The Outsider” and Amazon’s “Upload.”