Hollywood veteran Sam Neill is set to make his return to Australian television with Foxtel’s crime drama series,The Twelve. A remake of the 2019 Belgian show of the same name,The Twelve,follows twelve jurors who must render a verdict in a controversial case involving a woman accused of killing a child. The jurors, all ordinary citizens, will have to overcome their own struggles and impartially decide a sensitive case.Sam Neillis playing a lawyer named Colby SC in the show.
The Twelvewill be part of Australian Pay-TV and streaming company Foxtel’s slate of 2022 shows with 10 hour-long episodes. Warner Bros. Television International Australia is producing the show in partnership with Easy Tiger and funding by Screen Australia and Screen NSW. Sally Caplan, Screen Australia’s head of content, was all praise for the show, saying, “The Twelveis apowerful courtroom dramathat is set to re-shape the genre with its complex moral and ethical issues. Local and global audiences are sure to devour this thrilling series when it airs next year.”
The Belgian original,De Twaalf,akaThe Twelve, created by Bert Van Dael and Sanne Nuyens, is a deeply affecting and well-executed show. How the Australian remake tackles the source material remains to be seen. But if it enticed Sam Neill to take the lead role, it must have had an outstanding script.The Twelvehas recruited a talented ensemble behind the camera, which includes director Daniel Nettheim (Doctor Who, Broadchurch),script producer Greg Waters, and writers Sarah Walker, Brad Winters, Anchuli Felicia King, Leah Purcell, and Tommy Murphy as writers.
In the acting department are Marta Dusseldorp (A Place to Call Home), Kate Mulvany (Lambs of God), Brooke Satchwell (Mr Inbetween), and Hazem Shammas (Safe Harbour). More casting announcements will be made soon. Filming onThe Twelvewill commence next week in Sydney and is expected to last five months.
Sam Neill had an interesting take on working in both films and television, as he mentioned to news.com.au recently.
“When I started working in film, working in TV was like getting chlamydia and you were stuck with it forever. I think I’ve always had chlamydia because I’ve never really worried about that. I’ve been mixing television and film for a long time. But I think it’s true to say television is a very different animal than it was 30, 40 years ago. The opportunities on these different platforms now, including Foxtel, of being able to watch things for 10 or 12 hours in a row — That never used to be the case. It’s a whole different world.”
Clearly, Sam Neill doesn’t shy away from acting in TV shows-unlike several other A-listers. He has been a part of the popular BBC and Netflix dramaPeaky Blindersand currently stars in Apple TV+’sInvasion.
Neill is also reprising his iconic role as Dr. Alan Grant in 2022’sJurassic World: Dominion. The film sees himreunite with hisJurassic Parkco-starsLaura Dern and Jeff Goldblum, who play Dr. Ellie Sattler and Dr. Ian Malcolm, respectively.Jurassic World: Dominionis touted to be the culmination of the long-running franchise, and fans eagerly await the return of their favorite characters.Jurassic World: Dominionwill unleash the dinosaurs into the urban landscape on June 16, 2025.
