First look at Netflix’s Boy Swallows Universe

Mullets, samurai swords, an ominous red telephone, and an endless proliferation of thongs - the first teaser for Trent Dalton’s bestseller is here | WATCH

Still from the Boy Swallows Universe trailer. Picture: Netflix

Mullets, samurai swords, an ominous red telephone, and an endless proliferation of thongs — the first trailer for the Netflix adaptation of author Trent Dalton’s Boy Swallows Universe has arrived in a Paul Kelly-soundtracked blaze.

Dalton’s brutal coming-of-age story, set in sketchy suburbs of 1980s Brisbane, has been turned into an eight-part limited series directed by Bharat Nalluri (Shantaram) and Jocelyn Moorhouse (The Dressmaker), with producers including Joel Edgerton, Troy Lum, Andrew Mason and Sophie Gardiner.

Young Victorian actor Felix Cameron stars as the book’s hero Eli Bell. The story centres on the dysfunctional family life of Eli, his 13-year old brother Augustus, who is a selective mute, their mother (Phoebe Tonkin) a recovering addict, and their stepdad (Travis Fimmel) a heroin dealer. Throw in real-life criminal Slim Halliday (Bryan Brown), who the author knew in his childhood, and you’ve got a belting set-up for drama.

Trent Dalton on set for Boy Swallows Universe. Picture: Netflix

The cast for the Netflix series, which was filmed in Brisbane late last year, also includes Deborah Mailman, Anthony LaPaglia, Simon Baker, and Sophie Wilde, who made her star-turn in the Australian horror Talk To Me this year.

“I can’t remember the last time I saw such a powerful collection of brilliant Australian actors in the one place,” Dalton told The Australian’s Caroline Overington last year. “This is all my favourite people in the acting world essentially playing all my favourite people in the real world.”

Watch the trailer below