Released today to Filmink Magazine, producer Michael Boughen and direcetor Stuart Beattie spoke about the film.

In a recent preview screening of footage from the film, producer Michael Boughen said that this film represents a huge step forward for commercial Australian cinema as it is based on a book which has sold nearly two million copies in Australia and New Zealand alone. Boughen said the film’s premise is unique for both a local and international screenplay. “It’s a classic coming of age story, set against an extraordinary war setting. It’s large in scope.”

Adapting this story, which promises to be an action-packed affair, was Stuart Beattie whose screenwriting credits include Australia, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and Collateral. Beattie also makes his directorial debut with the film.

“Shooting Tomorrow was by far the toughest experience of my career, but also the most enjoyable… I’ll be forever grateful to John Marsden not only for creating this story but for trusting me to bring it to the screen,” Beattie said.

Being the first in a series of seven books, one cannot help but suspect that Australia may have a commercially viable movie franchise on their hands but Boughen is quick to dispel such a prediction.

“We’re not looking to start a franchise here. We’re in the business of making this book as successful as we can. Any success beyond that is off the basis of this first film,” Boughen said.

Source: Filmink.com.au

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There have been a few questions about the Tomorrow: When The War Began movie adaptation that seem to surface regularly, so a list has been compiled with some answers that’ll hopefully help everyone out!

1. What is the movie about?
2. What is the release date?
3. Has a trailer been released?
4. Who is the cast?
5. Who is the director?
6. Who wrote the screenplay?
7. What’s the budget?
8. What are the major set locations?
9. Are there any plans for sequels?

1. What is the movie about?

The movie is based on the novel ‘Tomorrow, When the War Began’, the first book in a series of invasion novels written by Australian writer John Marsden; detailing a high-intensity invasion and occupation of Australia by a foreign power. The novels are told in first person perspective by the main character, a teenaged girl named Ellie Linton, who is part of a small band of teenagers waging a guerrilla war on the enemy soldiers in their fictional hometown of Wirrawee.
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2. What is the release date?

At the moment, we can only tell you that the Australian premiere is slated for a September release.
September 2, 2010

3. Has a trailer been released?

Our sources indicate that a short ‘teaser’ trailer will be released in late February or early March.

4. Who is the cast?

Ellie Linton – Caitlin Stasey
Homer Yannos – Deniz Akdeniz
Lee – Chris Pang
Fiona Maxwell – Phoebe Tonkin
Kevin Holmes – Lincoln Lewis
Corrie McKenzie – Rachel Hurd-Wood
Robyn Mathers – Ashleigh Cummings
Chris Lang – Andy Ryan
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5. Who is the director?

Stuart Beattie

6. Who wrote the screenplay?

Stuart Beattie

7. What’s the budget?

Currently stands at $20M (AU)

8. What are the major set locations?

Several locations used around New South Wales including Raymond Terrace, Maitland, The Blue Mountains, Dungog and The Luskintyre Bridge.

Fox Studios Sydney was also used.

Take a look at the locations thread in the Tomorrow-Movies.com forum for pictures and in depth discussions.

9. Are there any plans for sequels?

Although nothing has officially been announced, last plans included creating a trilogy of films based upon the first three books in the series (“Tomorrow, When The War Began”, “The Dead of the Night”, “The Third Day, The Frost”). If commercially successful, there is a possibility of a spin off TV series being created, based upon the following four books in the Series (“Darkness, Be My Friend”, “Burning For Revenge”, “The Night Is For Hunting”, “The Other Side of Dawn”).

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Pictured: Deniz Akdeniz and Caitlin Stasey as Homer and Ellie.

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Strangely this made me smile as I remembered a particular post on the Tomorrow-Movies forum where several members planned to blow up a lawn mower Ellie style. Now that’s commitment.

Best Murder in Literature – Confessions of a Watery Tart

There are an awful lot to choose from and I have by no means read every book in existence, but my favorite murder in literature was committed by Ellie in Tomorrow When the War Began. Why? Because it truly and deeply changed her and how she looked at herself. Her sense of right and wrong underwent intense scrutiny. She was a leader of sorts, however unofficially, of a group of teens when Australia has been invaded by an enemy. She and her friends are running for their lives, being chased by people who are shooting… she devises a simple explosive out of a riding lawnmower, and guess what… it works. She and her friends are safe. The book, wisely, instead of glorifying her success in keeping her friends safe, sends her into a tailspin about the enormity of this one event—the change it makes of her.

It was incredibly moving, and one of the reasons I love the series so much. Something like that WOULD change a person. But it doesn’t make them a monster—she was forced into doing something awful, but arguably for the right reason. It doesn’t remove her humanity. I think this is true of more murders in the world than it is NOT true for. Murder is more often done by loved ones for a reason—murderers aren’t all heartless psychopaths, but people who either get into really messed up reasoning, or people who feel they are forced into something.

Read more…

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The following article recently appeared in The Daily Telegraph.

LINCOLN Lewis hopes former Home and Away fans will cringe when they see him in his first major feature film – the $20 million action thriller Tomorrow When The War Began.

“That’s the way the character is written in the book,” he says.

The 22-year-old actor plays “Aussie ocker” Kevin Holmes in screenwriter-turned-director Stuart Beattie’s hotly-anticipated adaptation of John Marsden’s best-selling teen fiction.

“It goes dog, sport, and then girlfriend,” Lewis said of his character’s priorities.

Lucky for British actress Rachel Hurd Wood – from Perfume and Peter Pan – who deferred university studies to appear in the film, there’s more to Corrie Mackenzie than questionable taste in men.

Tomorrow When The War Began, which finished shooting in Sydney this week, tells of rural teenagers who return from a camping holiday in the bush to find Australia has been invaded.

While the rest of his companions step up to the challenge, Kevin goes to pieces.

“He’s emotionally immature. When trouble hits, you begin to see this guy get more and more scared,” says Lewis.

Original article

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Released today, we get a sneak peek of Tomorrow: When The War Began as Ellie (Caitlin Stasey) puts her favourite quote into practice – Time spent in reconnaissance is seldom wasted – with Homer (Deniz Akdeniz), as they crawl through the scrub to get a good look at the bridge into Wirrawee.

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If you’re not already a member of the forum, register and then ask your question/s in the allocated thread.

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crystal1 said:
As a hopeless romantic I’d love to see her end up with Lee because I think he’s deep, and thoughtful and thats what Ellie needs. I think she loves Homer more as a brother but I think they’re too alike for it to work out. And I’m not actually a huge fan of Jeremy, probably because I got to know everyone else so well over the first 7 books that I can’t allow Jeremy into my heart just yet.
Original Forum Post

Who do you think should be Ellie’s man? Have your say

The first picture of Caitlin Stasey as Ellie Linton was published in the Herald today. More pictures are coming soon!

View the article

Today my daughters and I were driving near home and we ended up passing the current filming location. We saw some of the filming in action and then we drove down a random street and passed Lincoln (Kevin), Rachel (Corrie), Chris (Lee) and Deniz (Homer) walking around on their day off from filming. My daughter asked if it was ok for her to get a photo and some autographs and the stars couldn’t have been any more happy than to pose for photos. They introduced themselves and we talked for about 10 minutes. What a great bunch of young people. I am sure they will do the book justice.
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Read more about the stars of Tomorrow: When the War Began in the Cast & Crew section