Russell Crowe to star in True Story of the Kelly Gang, set to film in Victoria from March

THE wild man of Australian film is returning to star in the latest Ned Kelly movie, to be filmed in Victoria. But who will play the infamous bushranger?

He’s often portrayed as the wild man of Australian film, so it’s fitting that Russell Crowe will play a big part in True Story of the Kelly Gang, a new movie set to roll cameras in Victoria in March.

Based on Peter Carey’s Booker Prize-winning novel, and to be helmed by internationally acclaimed Snowtown director Justin Kurzel, it will be the first movie Crowe has shot at home since his successful directorial debut, The Water Diviner.

Russell Crowe will star in True Story of the Kelly Gang; the Oscar winner’s exact role for now remains a secret. Picture: Adam Taylor

However, Crowe will not be playing the infamous outlaw Kelly, who was hanged in Melbourne aged just 25. That honour goes to 25-year-old English actor George MacKay, best known for his roles in last year’s Oscar nominated drama Captain Fantastic and British true story Pride.

Crowe will play Harry Power, an Irish convict transported to Australia in 1842 and who, during a daring career as a bushranger, is said to have mentored many “lawless young men” — in particular taking Ned Kelly on as an “apprentice”.

Harry Power, the bushranger said to have taught Ned Kelly all he knew. Russell Crowe will play Power in the new Kelly Gang movie. Picture: Victoria Police Historial Unit

Englishman Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road) will play Fitzpatrick, the young constable who was shot by Ned, then bandaged up by Ned and Ellen Kelly. Essie Davis (Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries) will play the Kelly matriarch, Ellen; Travis Fimmel (Vikings) is to play Sergeant O’Neil, a policeman who was initially friendly to the Kellys; Dacre Montgomery (Stranger Things) will play George King, Ellen Kelly’s second husband; while Sean Keenan (Strangerland) will play Joe Byrne, Kelly’s lieutenant in the Gang.

Young English actor George Mackay is headed to Victoria next year to play notorious bushranger Ned Kelly. Picture: Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images

The real Ned Kelly walked towards police wearing his homemade armour during the Kelly Gang’s showdown with police in June 1880. Picture: State Library of Victoria.

The young cast continues with Harry Greenwood (Hacksaw Ridge) to portray Aaron Sherritt, a young friend of Ned and Joe said to have betrayed the gang to the police; Earl Cave, son of rocker Nick Cave, to play Ned’s younger brother Dan, who died in the siege at Glenrowan; and Kiwi actor Thomasin McKenzie to play Mary, an Irish girl with whom Ned fell in love.

Announcing the production yesterday, Kurzel said: “(Kelly’s) story is one of the great odysseys in history and I feel excited to be bringing it to the screen with a fresh cinematic eye. This is a really unique and modern cast, and I am so proud to be working with such a talented ensemble of new faces and celebrated actors.”

Australian Justin Kurzel will direct True Story of the Kelly Gang, which he calls “one of the great odysseys in history”. Picture: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

Kurzel’s take on the infamous true story is said to be a “gothic western for our times”, set in “the colonial badlands” and that will “shatter the mythology of” the notorious bushranger.

Kelly, the son of an Irish convict, was a hero to many Irish immigrants in the mid-to-late 1800s, who felt they were being persecuted by colonial rulers. In recent days, Crowe has been outspoken on Twitter about Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers on Manus Island, saying it makes the country “look like assholes”. Yesterday morning he tweeted: “#IamanImmigrant #MyparentsareImmigrants #Australia”.

Essie Davis, whose career has taken off internationally with roles in Game of Thrones and Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams, will return home to make the new film. Picture Andrew Tauber

Brit Nicholas Hoult was almost unrecognisable as the psychotic Nux in George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road. He’ll play the first policeman shot by Ned Kelly. Picture: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

Previous attempts to do justice to the story of the Kelly Gang on film have included 1970s Ned Kelly, starring Mick Jagger as the bushranger, and Gregor Jordan’s 2003 movie of the same name, starring Heath Ledger and Naomi Watts. The latter grossed $8.4 million at the Australian box office, but neither could be described as a huge success.

Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger tried his hand at acting in 1970s Ned Kelly. Picture: Supplied

Heath Ledger played the part in 2003 film Ned Kelly, which co-starred Naomi Watts. Picture: Supplied

And some precious footage survives of 1906 silent film The Story of the Kelly Gang, the world’s first ever full-length narrative feature film.

Carey is acting as a producer on the film. Kurzel praised the author’s book, saying: “The True History of the Kelly Gang always felt like the true spirit of Ned Kelly — unsentimental, brutal, raw and visceral.”

A scene from The Story of the Kelly Gang. Once thought lost, a quarter of the 1906 film has now been preserved by the National Film and Sound Archive. Picture: Supplied

Locations for filming have yet to be announced, but “Kelly country” takes in towns including Beechworth, Chiltern, Jerilderie, Benalla, Beveridge, Euroa and Glenrowan, scene of the Kelly Gang’s last stand.

Foxtel is currently digging into the truth behind Kelly and other colonial outlaws in Lawless — The Real Bushrangers, a documentary series hosted by Mike Munro. It airs Tuesdays 8.30pm on History.