An official selection at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, Mystery Road: Origin will premiere exclusively on Acorn TV, AMC Networks’ streaming service devoted to British and international television.
This new six-part drama is the prequel to the award-winning Australian noir series and film Mystery Road and centers on the early career of broody and complex Indigenous detective Jay Swan.
Mystery Road: Origin premieres Monday, September 26, with the first two episodes on Acorn TV – a pair of new episodes will stream weekly every Monday through October 10. The series had its International Premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival on September 13 as part of its Primetime Program.
Mark Coles Smith (Halifax: Retribution, Picnic at Hanging Rock) takes up the iconic role previously portrayed by Aaron Pedersen as a young Jay Swan in this 1999-set prequel.
Arriving at his new post in an Outback mining town, which is home to his estranged father and the woman who will change his life forever (Mary), the freshly minted detective finds himself in the middle of a series of heists by a masked gang and a re-opened cold case with personal significance.
Jay faces a tragic death, a burgeoning love, and the brutal reality of being a police officer straddling two worlds.
Mystery Road: Origin also stars Tuuli Narkle (All My Friends Are Racist), Kelton Pell (The Gods of Wheat Street), Salme Geransar (Clickbait), Daniel Henshall (The Babadook), and Toby Leonard Moore (Billions).
The cast is rounded out by Steve Bisley (Mad Max), Clarence Ryan (Cleverman), Hayley McElhinney (The Heart Guy), Lisa Flanagan (Total Control), and Caroline Brazier (Rake).
An Acorn TV Original, Mystery Road: Origin is produced by Bunya Productions for the ABC, with major production investment from Screen Australia’s First Nations Department in association with Screen West and the Western Australian Screen Fund supported through the State Government of WA’s Royalties for Regions program.
Mystery Road: Origin is directed by Dylan River and produced by Greer Simpkin and David Jowsey. The executive producers are Sally Riley, Ivan Sen, Andrew Gregory, and Blake Ayshford.
The writers are Steven McGregor, Blake Ayshford, Kodie Bedford, Timothy Lee, and Dylan River, and The director of photography is Tyson Perkins. The script producer is Blake Ayshford. The series was filmed on location in Western Australia.
Both seasons of the original hit Australian crime drama Mystery Road premiered on Acorn TV (in 2018 and 2020, respectively).
Aside from starring Aaron Pedersen (Jack Irish, A Place to Call Home), the main co-stars were Judy Davis (Ratched, Feud) in season 1 and Sofia Helin (The Bridge, Atlantic Crossing) in season 2.
The series won numerous awards from the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), including Best Television Drama Series, as well as awards from the Australian Directors Guild and the Australian Writers’ Guild. The franchise launched with two acclaimed feature films: Mystery Road (2013) and Goldstone (2016).
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills to cover the latest streaming, movie, TV, and game news.