Sam Neill leads star-studded cast for upcoming Foxtel original, The Twelve

The blockbuster actor has signed on to star in Foxtel’s upcoming original drama, The Twelve, it was announced today.

Sam Neill is poised to headline a brand new local drama series, Foxtel and Screen Australia announced today.

Production on the upcoming crime drama The Twelve begins in Sydney next week, with Neill set to be joined by co-stars Marta Dusseldorp (Wentworth), Kate Mulvany (Fighting Season), Brooke Satchwell (Mr Inbetween) and Hazem Shammas (Safe Harbour).

The Twelve – commissioned by The Foxtel Group* and produced by Warner Bros and Easy Tiger Productions – is set in a courtroom, and will chronicle the story of 12 individual jurors deciding the fate of a woman accused of killing a child.

New Zealand-born Neill, 74, returns to Australia to film the series, having recently wrapped production on Jurassic World: Dominion. He also filmed Thor: Love and Thunder in Sydney earlier this year.

Sam Neill will lead Foxtel’s upcoming original series, The Twelve.

Sydney-born director Daniel Nettheim, who has directing credits on Line of Duty and Doctor Who, will be behind the lens for the series, which will run for 10, one-hour episodes.

Foxtel’s executive director of television Brian Walsh said he believed the show would be “one of the most compelling series’ next year”.

“The Twelve will continue Foxtel’s tradition of bringing gripping Australian drama to the screen, this time from the courtroom. The team at Warner Bros. International Television in Australia, together with Easy Tiger Productions, have secured an outstanding ensemble cast along with some of the country’s finest creatives,” Mr Walsh said at a media event today.

Warner Bros. International Television Production managing director Michael Brooks said the show was “an incredibly exciting series for our business”.

“[It] is a continuation of our endeavour to produce great Australian stories for the global market. We’ve engaged a team that will deliver a story that will captivate audiences across the board and showcase the amazing talent we have on the ground locally.”

The Twelve is scheduled for a 2022 release.

*News Corp, publisher of this website, is majority owner of Foxtel

Originally published as Sam Neill leads star-studded cast for upcoming Foxtel original, The Twelve