Stan has announced the upcoming Stan Original Series Gnomes, a darkly comedic horror show set to begin production in 2025. The series, backed by a significant production investment from Screen Australia, will be filmed in Victoria and is part of a broader slate of ambitious Australian and international content revealed at the platform’s showcase event in Sydney.
Set in a decaying country town, Gnomes follows an unexpected battle between the townsfolk and an army of murderous garden gnomes, who are mysteriously brought to life by an ancient evil just before the inaugural Gnome-a-Palooza festival. At the center of the chaos are two police officers—Senior Sergeant Arnold Kipps and his former partner, Senior Constable Ellie McKay. As Ellie returns to the town with orders to shut down Arnold’s cherished police station, the town faces an existential crisis, forcing the pair to join forces with a quirky group of locals in an attempt to stop the impending “Gnome-apocalypse.”
Created by award-winning filmmaker Joel Kohn, Gnomes is produced by Kohn alongside John Molloy and Richard Kelly from Total Fiction, who are known for their work on shows like Barons and The Gloaming. The series features scripts from writers Tegan Higginbotham and Paul Verhoeven, adding a stellar creative team to the project.
Stan’s Chief Content Officer, Cailah Scobie, expressed excitement over the project, calling it “a darkly comedic treat unlike anything we’ve seen before.” She added, “Australian audiences have a deep love for horror and genre, and Gnomes is exactly the kind of audacious and unique production that embodies what we strive to deliver on Stan.”
The series has received praise for its originality from industry professionals. Holly Hines, Co-CEO of Happy Accidents, noted that the concept immediately captivated her, calling the scripts “exceptional.” She described Gnomes as “wildly imaginative, hilariously offbeat, and unlike anything else in the comedy-drama space,” with the team’s goal being to create a standout series in the global marketplace.
Screen Australia’s Director of Narrative Content, Louise Gough, lauded the series as a prime example of bold storytelling, stating that it represents the kind of genre-defying content that has gained international recognition. “With a blend of horror and comedy, and a top-tier creative team, Gnomes has all the ingredients to captivate global audiences,” she remarked.
VicScreen CEO Caroline Pitcher also expressed her support, saying, “Supporting innovative Victorian talent to bring bold ideas to the global stage is central to our mission. We are excited to see this genre-defying series come to life.”
Produced by Total Fiction and Screen Invaders, Gnomes also features co-producers Happy Accidents (USA) and Network Movie (Germany). Happy Accidents will handle international distribution, with a German pre-sale through Network Movie. The series benefits from major production investment from Screen Australia, in association with Stan and VicScreen. Additionally, post-production and digital effects are supported by Screen Queensland.
With production slated for 2025, Gnomes is expected to be a standout addition to Stan’s lineup of original content.
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