The Victorian-produced film The Dry captured viewers’ attention in 2021 and shot to the top of the Australian box office upon its release. On August 24, 2023, “Force of Nature: The Dry 2,” the highly anticipated sequel to the hit film, will open in theatres in Australia and New Zealand.
Expanding upon The Dry, Robert Connolly returns to direct the picture, which stars Eric Bana as Aaron Falk and is based on the best-selling novel by Jane Harper.
In “Force of Nature: The Dry 2,” federal agents Aaron Falk and Carmen Cooper venture deep into the Victorian mountain ranges to investigate after five women participate in a corporate hiking retreat and only four return. Their goal is to locate their whistle-blowing informant, Alice Russell, who may still be alive.
Bana’s co-stars in the movie include Lucy Ansell (Utopia), Robin McLeavy (Homeland), Deborra-lee Furness (Jindabyne), Anna Torv (The Last of Us), and Jacqueline McKenzie (Romper Stomper).
Alongside Kenneth Radley (The Power of the Dog), Tony Briggs (Cleverman), and Richard Roxburgh (Rake), Jeremy Lindsay-Taylor returns to the role of Erik Falk.
“It has been a fascinating journey and an exceptional honour to be able to revisit the world of the detective Aaron Falk in addition to work again with Eric, a fantastic supporting cast, and a wonderful team of creators and crew,” director Robert Connolly said of adapting Jane Harper’s remarkable “Force of Nature” for the big screen.
The often-terrifying splendour of the natural world is evoked in Jane’s novels, and in this sequel to “The Dry,” we transport readers to a new setting where they must solve entwining crimes in the isolated Australian outback.
Produced by Robert Connolly for Arenamedia, Eric Bana for Pick Up Truck Pictures, and Bruna Papandrea, Jodi Matterson, and Steve Hutensky of Made Up Stories.
Executive producing are Joel Pearlman and Edwina Waddy of Roadshow Films, along with Ricci Swart, Meryl Metni, Andrew Myer, Robert Patterson, Andrew Bassat, Joanna Baevski, Hayley Baillie, James Baillie, and others.
Filming Locations
In the middle of last year, most of the filming was done in the Yarra Valley, the Otways, and the Dandenong Ranges. The best thing is that the movie, like The Dry, was filmed on location throughout Victoria, with the scenery playing a key role.
The sequel, The Dry, will primarily be shot in the Dandenongs, Yarra Valley, and Otways; it will be cold, green, and probably wet. The original film was shot in Victoria’s rural Wimmera and Mallee regions.
Roadshow Films CEO Joel Pearlman stated, “We are thrilled to announce that ‘Force of Nature: The Dry 2’ will be making its theatrical debut this year.” We are eager for people to see this movie on the big screen because we know they will love it just as much as they loved “The Dry.”
Eric Bana played the lead role of Aaron Falk, while Keir O’Donnell played Raco, and Genevieve O’Reilly played Gretchen. The Wimmera Mallee region and the Australian state of Victoria hosted principal photography in March 2019.
A filmmaker’s fantasy for Connolly, who spent every day filming those “big and muscular and visceral” landscapes in the rain, shine, or snow. “There was an aesthetic reason for it, too, because of the amazing mist in the mornings and the amazing light in the late afternoon.” Bana was just as fervent about his project: “I detest working in a lit studio.”
“Having the shoot outside generates a new energy among all involved.” Not concerned with where you are. Crews and actors react to that mentality in an imaginative way.
“Look at these places; look at our backyard. I feel like a showoff to overseas.” The shoot was “very physical,” according to Bana, with pouring rain, steep terrain, and dense forest floors.
“I adore that.” “There’s pretty much none I can do for you out there, so look after yourselves,” our safety officer said at the outset of a meeting with department heads.
The hardest director I’ve ever worked with is Rob. As a director, he always puts himself through a lot, which was incredible,” he remarked. Deborra-Lee Furness portrays Jill Bailey, the leader of the women on the three-day corporate hiking retreat, who is wary of her colleague Alice.
