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Hollywood Legend Chris Hemsworth to Bring Finke Desert Race to the Big Screen

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Hollywood star Chris Hemsworth's production company, Wild State, is developing a feature film and documentary series about the Finke Desert Race in Australia.
  • The project will coincide with the race's 50th anniversary, celebrating its evolution from a motorcycle event to an off-road competition including cars.
  • Screenwriters Dan Walser and Ricky Staub, known for "Concrete Cowboys," are attached to the project, with a role potentially written for Hemsworth himself.

Central Australia's grueling Finke Desert Race is set to capture global attention with a new feature film and documentary series produced by Chris Hemsworth's company, Wild State. This project aims to bring one of Australia's most challenging outback off-road races to an international audience.

I have a feeling he'll be a bike rider.

— Kelsey BranfordSpeculating on Chris Hemsworth's potential role in the film.

The announcement arrives as the Finke prepares to mark its 50th anniversary. The race originated in 1976 with a group of motorcyclists aiming to traverse 230 kilometers of desert to the Aputula/Finke community. Since then, it has significantly evolved, incorporating cars in 1988 and benefiting from major advancements in automotive technology. The race's history is rich with triumphs, tragedies, and heartbreaks, providing ample material for the upcoming cinematic productions.

Kelsey Branford, vice-president of the Finke Desert Race committee, revealed that the news had been kept confidential. She mentioned that scriptwriters Dan Walser and Ricky Staub, who previously worked on "Concrete Cowboys" starring Idris Elba, visited the race organizers about four to five weeks prior. They met with various stakeholders involved in the race, accompanied by a producer and director.

He loves racing motorbikes.

— Kelsey BranfordCommenting on Chris Hemsworth's personal interest in motorcycle racing.

Branford expressed anticipation for a role specifically written for Chris Hemsworth, speculating, "I have a feeling he'll be a bike rider." She added, "He loves racing motorbikes." The film is expected to focus on the elite competitors at the forefront of the race, rather than solely on the hundreds of participants fulfilling a bucket-list ambition.

Once the scriptwriters write it, it'll form part of a pitch package that they'll go out to studios with and then fully cost it … and see if anyone picks it up.

— Kelsey BranfordDescribing the development process for the feature film.

The feature-length film is currently in the development stage, with numerous steps required before it reaches cinemas. "Once the scriptwriters write it, it'll form part of a pitch package that they'll go out to studios with and then fully cost it … and see if anyone picks it up," Branford explained. The production team is scheduled to meet with local stakeholders, including Screen Territory, to leverage local expertise. Hemsworth himself is no stranger to desert landscapes, having starred in "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga."

It's a cool thing to be happening for Finke and for Alice Springs.

— Rick HallA two-time winner of the Finke Desert Race, commenting on the film project.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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