Baz Luhrmann Is Turning Australia Into a Six-Episode Series at Hulu

Baz Luhrmann's 2008 film Australia is being turned into a six-episode series titled Faraway Downs.

Australia was released with lackluster box office numbers at the time, but since its release, Luhrmann has been updating and re-cutting the film. This winter, the six-part limited series will be released as a Hulu original in the U.S. and a Star Original on Disney+ and Star+ internationally, Variety repots.

Faraway Downs will be an expanded version of the story, with a new ending and an updated soundtrack.

"I originally set out to take the notion of the sweeping Gone With the Wind style epic and turn it on its head," said Luhrmann. "A way of using romance and epic drama to shine a light on the roles of First Nations people and the painful scar in Australian history of the 'Stolen Generations.'" He added, "While Australia the film has its own life, there was another telling of this story" that consists of "alternative plot twists that an episodic format has allowed us to explore."

Australia follows English aristocrat Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman) who inherits a large cattle ranch called Faraway Downs after her husband dies. When Australian cattle barons plan to take her land, she teams up with a cattle drover (Hugh Jackman) to protect her ranch.

The film also tells the story of Nullah (Brandon Walters), a bi-racial Indigenous Australian child who becomes caught up in the government's extreme racial policy, now known as the "Stolen Generations."

Australia is currently streaming on HBO Max.

Deena ElGenaidi's writing has been featured in Nylon, MTV News, Insider, The AV Club, and more. You can follow her on Twitter @deenaelg.