
The world can always do with a little more magic in it, and the brand new Stan Original filmThe Portable Doorpromises to deliver just that.
The Portable Dooris a fantasy adventure film that is currently in production in Queensland and is an adaptation of Tom Holt’s eponymous and beloved seven-book fantasy series.
The book tells the story of a very mundane young man named Paul Carpenter, a university dropout with few remarkable skills who finds himself in need of a job (any job) after his retired parents abandon him to a life of having to make his own way in the world.
So he applies for a job as a filing clerk at a mysterious firm called JW Wells & Co and, despite completely tanking the interview, successfully secures the gig.
He then discovers that the world of JW Wells & Co is much stranger than it first seemed.
The Stan Original FilmThe Portable Doorwill be brought to life by award-winning Australian director Jeffrey Walker(known for his work on Stan Original Series The Commons)and will take the magical world of the books to a new level.
In the film, Paul (Patrick Gibson) and Sophie Pettingel (Stan Original Film Eden breakout star Sophie Wilde) are both lowly interns who begin working at the mysterious London firm J.W. Wells & Co.
They soon become suspicious of their employers, whose workplace antics are anything but conventional and actually appear quite sinister.
The charismatic villains in question are Humphrey Wells (two-time Oscar winner Christoph Waltz), the CEO of the company, and middle manager Dennis Tanner (multi-Golden Globe nominee Sam Neill) who we discover are disrupting the world of magic by bringing modern corporate strategy to ancient magical practices.
Paul and Sophie soon discover the true agenda of the corporation they are working for and what is really at stake.
Oh, and there are goblins involved.
The Portable Dooris a Jim Henson Company and Story Bridge Films production and features an all-star cast, jam-packed with both international and local names, including Patrick Gibson (The OA), Miranda Otto (The Lord of the Ringsfranchise), Chris Pang (Crazy Rich Asians), Jessica DeGouw (Gretel & Hansel), New Zealand’s Rachel House (Thor: Ragnarok), Arka Das (Mulan) and Damon Herriman (Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, Stan Original SeriesThe Commons).
"Stan continues its strong investment and focus on premium local programs and feature films likeThe Portable Dooras part of our strategy to create more Australian produced content," Stan Chief Content Officer Cailah Scobie toldMamamiavia a statement. "Helmed by one of Australia’s most accomplished directors in Jeffrey Walker and featuring award-winning actors Christoph Waltz, Sam Neill and Patrick Gibson, alongside a stellar Australian cast, we look forward to seeing this magical film cast a spell on Stan subscribers."
Executive producer Lisa Henson said: "Director Jeffrey Walker is leading an amazing cast and creative team to bring to life the high-fantasy setting and unique humour ofThe Portable Door. An unexpected adventure filled with deeply funny moments;The Portable Dooris poised to be the next Henson fan favourite."
So if you're looking for something that's a darker, more adult version ofHarry Potter, with the comedy styling ofThe Office, then the new Stan Original filmThe Portable Doordeserves a spot on your upcoming must-watch list.
The Stan Original film The Portable Door is currently in production, with further announcements to come.
Feature Image: Stan.
Laura Brodnik
Head of Entertainment
No Comments
Be the first to leave a comment