Fan girls, get your snapchat accounts ready. Heart-throb film star Xavier Samuel is returning home to Adelaide in June to star in a new feature film, which will be shot entirely in South Australia.
Bad Blood, a suspense thriller to be directed by David Pulbrook, will be Xavier’s first South Australian film since his debut feature film appearance in the highly acclaimed 2:37. He will star alongside Morgan Griffin (San Andreas, Unbroken).
The synopsis for the film sounds utterly terrifying, which comes as no surprise given that Wolf Creek producer David Lightfoot is also on board. Picture this… Carrie, an attractive veterinarian accepts an invitation from her fiancée, a best-selling author, for a long weekend away. When she senses something is terribly wrong she decides to leave only to find herself trying to escape the house into a desolate forest fearing for her life and fighting against a psychopathic killer. Of course, our minds go straight to possible filming locations… Kuipto Forest? Out near the reservoirs? There are definitely some great spooky locations around Adelaide which would be perfect.
In 2010, Xavier became a Hollywood name after starring in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. His other credits include Fury (2014) starring Brad Pitt and Shia LaBeouf and Frankenstein (2015).
Xavier, a graduate of Flinders University, was last seen in South Australia on stage in the State Theatre Company’s 2014 Adelaide Festival production of Chekov’s The Seagull.
Bad Blood also marks another home coming, with aforementioned Wolf Creek producer David Lightfoot returning to Adelaide to produce the film alongside veteran producer Antony I. Ginnane, whose extensive credits include Last Dance and Elimination Game.
Filming will commence in early June and take in various locations in the Adelaide Hills and the City and utilise the facilities at Adelaide Studios.
South Australian Film Corporation Chief Executive Annabelle Sheehan said SAFC was delighted to be supporting Bad Blood, with the film being entirely shot in South Australia and sound postproduction also taking place in the State. “Interest in filming in South Australia is currently very high, with the State’s experienced crews, diverse filming locations and the state-of-the-art Adelaide Studios all proving strong drawcards among producers and directors,” said Ms Sheehan.
“In the last two years, productions using facilities at SAFC’s Adelaide Studios, including Sound Stages, Production Offices, Mix and Foley services represent a very broad slate. Projects have included eight features films, eight television series, various short films and TV Commercials. Titles include Deadline Gallipoli, Wolf Creek TV series, Boys In Trees and A Month of Sunday’s and Versus from the much watched online sensations the Racka Racka Boys. ”
Antony I. Ginanne said his experiences filming in South Australia for previous projects have always been very positive. “I first filmed in South Australia in 1980 with The Survivor and we were all extraordinarily impressed with the quality of the crew and support facilities,” said Ginanne.
“Since then I have been back multiple times, notably with The Lighthorsemen and Sally Marshall is not an Alien. I love working in Adelaide and the SAFC support is as always comprehensive and exemplary.”
Bad Blood Producer David Lightfoot said he was very excited to be back in Adelaide and working with the South Australian Film Corporation once again.
“After five years making film interstate and overseas, I find it a delight that I can come home and make this wonderful thriller with all my old colleagues, the SAFC and one of the most exciting talents in eons from South Australia, and one whom I have just worked with on A Few Less Men, Xavier Samuel. Bad Blood is a wonderfully crafted screenplay and I look forward to making it with the team immensely.”
Filming of Bad Blood starts on June 6 and will run for 3 weeks and is expected to provide jobs for 50 local cast and crew.
Bad Blood will be distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Potential Films and Internationally by The Little Film Company.
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