Given the WWII setting of author John Birmingham’s Axis of Time book trilogy, it’s fitting that filmmaker Luke Sparke became inspired to work on a television adaptation while working on a project detailing the same era.
While he read the first book, Weapons of Choice, upon its release in 2004, Sparke told If it wasn’t until he came across the series again at Brisbane Airport while en route to join the costume and wardrobe department on mini-series The Pacific in 2007 that the potential of the subject matter dawned on him.
“I picked it up and read it on the plane and couldn’t put it down,” he said.
“That’s when the gears starting turning that it would make a good TV show, but at the time I wasn’t in any position to create one.
“I kept the book, which is the copy I am using to do all my notes in.
While he read the first book, Weapons of Choice, upon its release in 2004, Sparke told If it wasn’t until he came across the series again at Brisbane Airport while en route to join the costume and wardrobe department on mini-series The Pacific in 2007 that the potential of the subject matter dawned on him.
“I picked it up and read it on the plane and couldn’t put it down,” he said.
“That’s when the gears starting turning that it would make a good TV show, but at the time I wasn’t in any position to create one.
“I kept the book, which is the copy I am using to do all my notes in.
- 9/13/2021
- by Sean Slatter
- IF.com.au
Exclusive: John Birmingham’s World War II alternate history book trilogy Axis of Time is set for a television adaptation.
Luke Sparke, the Australian writer/director behind the sci-fi feature franchise Occupation, has optioned the rights via his Sparke Films banner and will write the adaptation.
Weapons of Choice, the first book in the series was published by Macmillan in 2004, and the trilogy deals with a radical rip in the fabric of time when a technologically advanced naval task force from the near future is accidentally transported back through time to 1942, landing in the middle of WWII.
The series will feature all three books, including Designated Targets and Final Impact.
The project is a collaboration between Sparke and co-writer Jay Thames, who appeared in Sons of Anarchy. Carly Imrie and Carmel Imrie will produce, alongside Trimax Media’s Alan Glazier (Get Smart) and Zachary Garred (Occupation Rainfall).
The books begin...
Luke Sparke, the Australian writer/director behind the sci-fi feature franchise Occupation, has optioned the rights via his Sparke Films banner and will write the adaptation.
Weapons of Choice, the first book in the series was published by Macmillan in 2004, and the trilogy deals with a radical rip in the fabric of time when a technologically advanced naval task force from the near future is accidentally transported back through time to 1942, landing in the middle of WWII.
The series will feature all three books, including Designated Targets and Final Impact.
The project is a collaboration between Sparke and co-writer Jay Thames, who appeared in Sons of Anarchy. Carly Imrie and Carmel Imrie will produce, alongside Trimax Media’s Alan Glazier (Get Smart) and Zachary Garred (Occupation Rainfall).
The books begin...
- 9/3/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Rainfall, the action sci-fi starring Ken Jeong, Temuera Morrison, Daniel Gillies and Jason Isaacs, has sold around the world for Film Mode Entertainment.
The movie has been picked up for: North America (Saban), UK (Signature); Cis (Paradise); France (Metropolitan); Germany (Splendid); Japan (New Select); Middle East (Eagle Films); Pan-Asia Ptv (Disney/Fox); Scandinavia (Smile Entertainment); South Korea (Scene&Sound); Taiwan (Moviecloud); Singapore (Shaw); Spain (Flins & Piniculas); and Vietnam (Noori).
The film, which features VFX from artists behind Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Blade Runner 2049, takes audiences two years into an intergalactic invasion of Earth, with the last survivors fighting back in a desperate ground war. As casualties mount by the day, the resistance and their unexpected allies uncover a plot that could see the war come to a decisive end.
Producers are Carly & Carmel Imrie (Occupation) and U.S. co-executive producer Todd Williams (The Nun).
“We...
The movie has been picked up for: North America (Saban), UK (Signature); Cis (Paradise); France (Metropolitan); Germany (Splendid); Japan (New Select); Middle East (Eagle Films); Pan-Asia Ptv (Disney/Fox); Scandinavia (Smile Entertainment); South Korea (Scene&Sound); Taiwan (Moviecloud); Singapore (Shaw); Spain (Flins & Piniculas); and Vietnam (Noori).
The film, which features VFX from artists behind Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Blade Runner 2049, takes audiences two years into an intergalactic invasion of Earth, with the last survivors fighting back in a desperate ground war. As casualties mount by the day, the resistance and their unexpected allies uncover a plot that could see the war come to a decisive end.
Producers are Carly & Carmel Imrie (Occupation) and U.S. co-executive producer Todd Williams (The Nun).
“We...
- 3/1/2021
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
‘Occupation: Rainfall.’
Luke Sparke’s Occupation: Rainfall, the sequel to his 2018 sci-fi thriller Occupation, will have its world premiere at Monster Fest in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.
The festival, which runs from October 29 – November 1, will provide the launch platform for the cinema release handled by Grant Hardie’s Monster Pictures.
Ken Jeong, Daniel Gillies, Temuera Morrison, Dan Ewing, Trystan Go, Zac Garred, Mark Coles Smith and Dena Kaplan star in the sequel which picks up two years later as survivors of the intergalactic invasion of Earth fight back in a desperate ground war.
As casualties mount, the resistance and their unexpected allies uncover a plot that could see the war come to a decisive end.
Sparke tells If a launch date is yet to be set, given the closure of Victorian cinemas and capacity limits on cinemas in other states, but he expects it will open soon after Monster Fest.
Luke Sparke’s Occupation: Rainfall, the sequel to his 2018 sci-fi thriller Occupation, will have its world premiere at Monster Fest in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.
The festival, which runs from October 29 – November 1, will provide the launch platform for the cinema release handled by Grant Hardie’s Monster Pictures.
Ken Jeong, Daniel Gillies, Temuera Morrison, Dan Ewing, Trystan Go, Zac Garred, Mark Coles Smith and Dena Kaplan star in the sequel which picks up two years later as survivors of the intergalactic invasion of Earth fight back in a desperate ground war.
As casualties mount, the resistance and their unexpected allies uncover a plot that could see the war come to a decisive end.
Sparke tells If a launch date is yet to be set, given the closure of Victorian cinemas and capacity limits on cinemas in other states, but he expects it will open soon after Monster Fest.
- 8/13/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Trystan Go and Dan Ewing in Occupation: Rainfall.
Writer-director Luke Sparke always intended to shoot Occupation: Rainfall, the sequel to his 2018 sci-fi thriller Occupation, in three blocks.
However lengthy delays in the second and third blocks resulted in fresh additions to the cast in Jet Tranter, Mark Coles Smith, David Roberts and Dena Kaplan.
Tranter (Tidelands) took over from Stephanie Jacobson as a key leader on the human resistance who tries to end the war with aliens.
Coles Smith is a commando with Roberts as another resistance leader and Kaplan as a fighter pilot.
They joined the previously announced cast of Dan Ewing, Temuera Morrison, Ken Jeong, Daniel Gillies, Lawrence Makoare, Vince Colosimo, Trystan Go, Zac Garred, Kat Risteska, Ben Chisholm, Erin Conner, Izzy Stevens and John Reynolds.
Filming wrapped in December after delays caused by a dispute with the Meaa. “With the film being so big, we always planned...
Writer-director Luke Sparke always intended to shoot Occupation: Rainfall, the sequel to his 2018 sci-fi thriller Occupation, in three blocks.
However lengthy delays in the second and third blocks resulted in fresh additions to the cast in Jet Tranter, Mark Coles Smith, David Roberts and Dena Kaplan.
Tranter (Tidelands) took over from Stephanie Jacobson as a key leader on the human resistance who tries to end the war with aliens.
Coles Smith is a commando with Roberts as another resistance leader and Kaplan as a fighter pilot.
They joined the previously announced cast of Dan Ewing, Temuera Morrison, Ken Jeong, Daniel Gillies, Lawrence Makoare, Vince Colosimo, Trystan Go, Zac Garred, Kat Risteska, Ben Chisholm, Erin Conner, Izzy Stevens and John Reynolds.
Filming wrapped in December after delays caused by a dispute with the Meaa. “With the film being so big, we always planned...
- 1/6/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Kristen Condon and Rob Stanfield in ‘Landfall’
It was a big weekend for Travis Bain’s Landfall, the saga of a young couple trapped inside their beach house by three armed fugitives during a severe tropical cyclone, which won multiple awards from two organisations.
The thriller was named best feature and took the prizes for best director, Vernon Wells as best actor, Kristen Condon as best actress and Tony Bonner as best supporting actor at the Oz International Film Festival in Melbourne.
Bain was named best director and Samantha van der Sluis was awarded the certificate of highest achievement in the best composer category at the Australian Screen Industry Network (Asin) Awards in Cleveland near Brisbane.
“I’m feeling supremely humbled, blessed and grateful. This year is my 20th anniversary as an indie filmmaker and this is a bloody great way to celebrate it,” Bain said on social media.
Rob...
It was a big weekend for Travis Bain’s Landfall, the saga of a young couple trapped inside their beach house by three armed fugitives during a severe tropical cyclone, which won multiple awards from two organisations.
The thriller was named best feature and took the prizes for best director, Vernon Wells as best actor, Kristen Condon as best actress and Tony Bonner as best supporting actor at the Oz International Film Festival in Melbourne.
Bain was named best director and Samantha van der Sluis was awarded the certificate of highest achievement in the best composer category at the Australian Screen Industry Network (Asin) Awards in Cleveland near Brisbane.
“I’m feeling supremely humbled, blessed and grateful. This year is my 20th anniversary as an indie filmmaker and this is a bloody great way to celebrate it,” Bain said on social media.
Rob...
- 12/2/2018
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Lisa McCune and Peter Helliar in ‘How to Stay Married.’
Lisa McCune and Daniel Gillies are the final additions to the cast of Luke Sparke’s sci-fi thriller Occupation: Rainfall.
Shooting in the Gold Coast, Newcastle, Sydney, the Snowy Mountains and Alice Springs, the sequel to Occupation sees the survivors of an intergalactic invasion fight back in a desperate ground war.
In her first film role since Josh Lawson’s The Little Death, McCune plays the military commander in charge of ground forces in the Sydney siege. The Los Angeles-based Gillies is a hard-line military leader that will do whatever it takes to win the alien war.
Temuera Morrison, Dan Ewing, Stephany Jacobsen, Aaron Jeffery, Zac Garred, Izzy Stevens and Trystan Go reprise their roles, joined by Crazy Rich Asians’ Ken Jeong, Lawrence Makoarely, Vince Colosimo and Tamala Shelton.
“Daniel has been on my radar for a few years now.
Lisa McCune and Daniel Gillies are the final additions to the cast of Luke Sparke’s sci-fi thriller Occupation: Rainfall.
Shooting in the Gold Coast, Newcastle, Sydney, the Snowy Mountains and Alice Springs, the sequel to Occupation sees the survivors of an intergalactic invasion fight back in a desperate ground war.
In her first film role since Josh Lawson’s The Little Death, McCune plays the military commander in charge of ground forces in the Sydney siege. The Los Angeles-based Gillies is a hard-line military leader that will do whatever it takes to win the alien war.
Temuera Morrison, Dan Ewing, Stephany Jacobsen, Aaron Jeffery, Zac Garred, Izzy Stevens and Trystan Go reprise their roles, joined by Crazy Rich Asians’ Ken Jeong, Lawrence Makoarely, Vince Colosimo and Tamala Shelton.
“Daniel has been on my radar for a few years now.
- 11/4/2018
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Izzy Stevens and Temuera Morrison in ‘Occupation Rainfall.’
Four weeks into the 12-weeks shoot on Occupation: Rainfall, writer-director Luke Sparke declares the sequel will be four times bigger in scale and ambition than the original Occupation.
The filmmaker is delighted with the performance of Ken Jeong, who has filmed his role as an American character who holds the key to the mystery of the rainfall.
Sparke was happy to encourage the Crazy Rich Asians and Hangover star to improvise, observing: “We let him loose to ad lib. He brings his unique style to the role, a very dry character. He had the crew in stitches at times.”
Co-written by Sparke and Felix Williamson, the sequel picks up two years after the intergalactic invasion of Earth as survivors in Sydney fight back in a desperate ground war. As casualties mount, the resistance and their unexpected allies uncover a plot that could...
Four weeks into the 12-weeks shoot on Occupation: Rainfall, writer-director Luke Sparke declares the sequel will be four times bigger in scale and ambition than the original Occupation.
The filmmaker is delighted with the performance of Ken Jeong, who has filmed his role as an American character who holds the key to the mystery of the rainfall.
Sparke was happy to encourage the Crazy Rich Asians and Hangover star to improvise, observing: “We let him loose to ad lib. He brings his unique style to the role, a very dry character. He had the crew in stitches at times.”
Co-written by Sparke and Felix Williamson, the sequel picks up two years after the intergalactic invasion of Earth as survivors in Sydney fight back in a desperate ground war. As casualties mount, the resistance and their unexpected allies uncover a plot that could...
- 10/24/2018
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Ken Jeong.
In a casting coup writer-director Luke Sparke has signed Crazy Rich Asians’ Ken Jeong to play the lead in Occupation: Rainfall.
The sequel to Sparke’s sci-fi thriller Occupation starts a four-month shoot spanning the Gold Coast, Newcastle, Sydney, the Snowy Mountains and Alice Springs tonight.
Temuera Morrison, Dan Ewing, Stephany Jacobsen, Aaron Jeffery, Zac Garred, Izzy Stephens and Trystan Go will reprise their roles from the original film.
Also joining the cast for the sequel are Lawrence Makoare, Vince Colosimo and Tamala Shelton, with more names to be revealed.
Sparke said: “We’re building a whole new world with Occupation: Rainfall and to have Ken join the film alongside our awesome returning cast members is mind blowing. I’ve admired his work and his successes for years and can’t wait to see what brings to the project when he arrives here in October.”
Co-written by Sparke and Felix Williamson,...
In a casting coup writer-director Luke Sparke has signed Crazy Rich Asians’ Ken Jeong to play the lead in Occupation: Rainfall.
The sequel to Sparke’s sci-fi thriller Occupation starts a four-month shoot spanning the Gold Coast, Newcastle, Sydney, the Snowy Mountains and Alice Springs tonight.
Temuera Morrison, Dan Ewing, Stephany Jacobsen, Aaron Jeffery, Zac Garred, Izzy Stephens and Trystan Go will reprise their roles from the original film.
Also joining the cast for the sequel are Lawrence Makoare, Vince Colosimo and Tamala Shelton, with more names to be revealed.
Sparke said: “We’re building a whole new world with Occupation: Rainfall and to have Ken join the film alongside our awesome returning cast members is mind blowing. I’ve admired his work and his successes for years and can’t wait to see what brings to the project when he arrives here in October.”
Co-written by Sparke and Felix Williamson,...
- 9/19/2018
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Gather the family around the table, count your blessings, eat lots of food, and then maybe check out the MST3K marathon! Also: a look at Comet TV's November programming, Afm screening details for The Ninth Passenger, Blood Bound, and Occupation, My Neighbors are Dead podcast details, and three clips from Live-Evil.
MST3K Turkey Day Marathon Announced: Press Release: "It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without turkey—cinematic turkey, that is! This Thanksgiving, grab a heaping helping of Mexican three-layer dip and pureed giblets and join your fellow MSTies for the beloved traditional Mystery Science Theater 3000 Turkey Day Marathon. Hosted by show creator Joel Hodgson and MST3K stars Felicia Day and Jonah Ray, this year’s marathon features six classic episodes of MST3K never before included in a Shout! Factory Turkey Day Marathon.
Starting at 12 pm Et / 9 am Pt on Thursday, November 23rd, the holiday marathon will showcase six classic MST3K episodes,...
MST3K Turkey Day Marathon Announced: Press Release: "It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without turkey—cinematic turkey, that is! This Thanksgiving, grab a heaping helping of Mexican three-layer dip and pureed giblets and join your fellow MSTies for the beloved traditional Mystery Science Theater 3000 Turkey Day Marathon. Hosted by show creator Joel Hodgson and MST3K stars Felicia Day and Jonah Ray, this year’s marathon features six classic episodes of MST3K never before included in a Shout! Factory Turkey Day Marathon.
Starting at 12 pm Et / 9 am Pt on Thursday, November 23rd, the holiday marathon will showcase six classic MST3K episodes,...
- 11/14/2017
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Red Billabong..
Luke Sparke is following up his feature debut.Red Billabong with sci-fi pic.Occupation..The film, about a small town that bands together after a devastating ground invasion, will shoot next month around the Gold Coast and northern Nsw.
Dan Ewing, who lead the cast of.Red Billabong, will also star in.Occupation.alongside New Zealand.s Temuera Morrison (The Osiris Child , Moana, Star Wars: Episode II and III).
Other cast include Stephany Jacobsen (Battlestar Galactica), Rhiannon Fish (The 100), Charles Terrier (Neighbours), Bruce Spence (Mad Max 2), Felix Williamson (The Great Gatsby, Underbelly), Charles Mesure (Desperate Housewives), Zachary Garred (General Hospital), Izzy Stevens (Puberty Blues), Trystan Go (The Family Law) and AFI award winner Jacqueline McKenzie (The 4400).
Occupation will be produced by SparkeFilms, with Red Billabong producer Carly Imrie returning. .
.I.m very excited and proud to bring such a varied and talented ensemble cast to this Australian film,...
Luke Sparke is following up his feature debut.Red Billabong with sci-fi pic.Occupation..The film, about a small town that bands together after a devastating ground invasion, will shoot next month around the Gold Coast and northern Nsw.
Dan Ewing, who lead the cast of.Red Billabong, will also star in.Occupation.alongside New Zealand.s Temuera Morrison (The Osiris Child , Moana, Star Wars: Episode II and III).
Other cast include Stephany Jacobsen (Battlestar Galactica), Rhiannon Fish (The 100), Charles Terrier (Neighbours), Bruce Spence (Mad Max 2), Felix Williamson (The Great Gatsby, Underbelly), Charles Mesure (Desperate Housewives), Zachary Garred (General Hospital), Izzy Stevens (Puberty Blues), Trystan Go (The Family Law) and AFI award winner Jacqueline McKenzie (The 4400).
Occupation will be produced by SparkeFilms, with Red Billabong producer Carly Imrie returning. .
.I.m very excited and proud to bring such a varied and talented ensemble cast to this Australian film,...
- 4/18/2017
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Gary Hamilton.s Arclight will launch global sales efforts on Red Billabong, an action-adventure about two brothers who discover old secrets and family ties in the Outback, at the Afm in November.
Arclight replaces the originally announced sales agent, the UK.s Manifest Film Sales/Intandem Films.
.Manifest/Intandem are gone. Arclight secured the film off them,. said Luke Sparke, who makes his writing and directing debut on the film.
Dan Ewing and Tim Pocock play the brothers whose friends go missing, prompting fears they are being stalked by someone or something from their worst nightmares.
The supporting cast includes newcomers Sophie Don, Ben Chisholm and James Straiton plus John Reynolds, Emily Joy, Felix Williamson and Gregory Fryer.
Producer Carly Imrie said, .It.s such an exciting and fun film . a mini-Australian blockbuster. I believe we have discovered some incredible up and coming talent in the process..
Arclight will look...
Arclight replaces the originally announced sales agent, the UK.s Manifest Film Sales/Intandem Films.
.Manifest/Intandem are gone. Arclight secured the film off them,. said Luke Sparke, who makes his writing and directing debut on the film.
Dan Ewing and Tim Pocock play the brothers whose friends go missing, prompting fears they are being stalked by someone or something from their worst nightmares.
The supporting cast includes newcomers Sophie Don, Ben Chisholm and James Straiton plus John Reynolds, Emily Joy, Felix Williamson and Gregory Fryer.
Producer Carly Imrie said, .It.s such an exciting and fun film . a mini-Australian blockbuster. I believe we have discovered some incredible up and coming talent in the process..
Arclight will look...
- 9/22/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
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