WELLINGTON residents wanting to see the sequel to The Dry in cinemas will have to wait a little longer.
The film, officially known as Force of Nature: The Dry 2, has been delayed weeks out from its August 24 release in response to the actors’ strike in the United States. Sale Cinema had planned to show it on that date.
In a statement released on July 19, producer and star Eric Bana revealed the film’s premiere would be postponed until a later date.
“I’m incredibly proud of this much-anticipated Australian film and want to be able to do it justice by promoting it thoroughly,” Mr Bana said.
“Due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, of which I am a long-standing member, it is not possible to do that at this time.
“Just as we did with The Dry, our plan is to be face-to-face with the cinema going public, through event screenings, Q&As, and press appearances at the time of release.”
On July 14, American union SAG-AFTRA announced that all of its members would be going on strike, owing to a breakdown in negotiations with major Hollywood studios.
SAG-AFTRA – which represents over 160,000 actors in film and television – had been advocating for greater royalties from streaming services, and assurances regarding the use of artificial intelligence and actors’ likenesses, which had not been met under the current deal.
The original The Dry was released in January 2021 to critical acclaim and commercial success, making over $20.1 million, and is the 14th highest-grossing Australian film of all time. Mr Bana is reprising his role as detective Aaron Falk for the sequel.
Photos: Roadshow Films
