Justin Kurzel recently revealed that his next film would be an adaptation of the book “Burning Rainbow Farm,” which tells the true story of two marijuana advocates who had a five-day standoff with the FBI, which resulted in both of their deaths.
This was originally a Lenny Abrahamson (“Room“) project, but has now morphed into the hands of Kurzel. How did the transition occur? It turns out that it was actually Sebastian Stan who reached out to Kurzel, and asked him to direct the project. Stan will be one of the two leads in the film. All this is to say that the film is actually starting production in Australia tomorrow.
Kurzel, not one to just lie low, has added another film to his itinerary. I’m told he’s teaming with Netflix on “Cash Burn,” which is being produced by Shawn Levy’s 21 Laps Productions. A spring 2026 start is being planned for the film.
Based on Michael Berrier’s debut novel, the film is being described as a “financial thriller” with a moral core. At its center is Jason Dunn, a high-powered executive on the verge of losing everything when a new lover draws him into a high-stakes embezzlement scheme. The tension escalates further with the sudden reappearance of Jason’s estranged brother, recently released from prison, forcing long-buried family conflicts into the open. It’s a story of ambition, betrayal, and the messy human cost behind the numbers.
Casting is currently in progress, with more updates expected in the coming months. It will be interesting to see Kurzel take on this material, which is unlike anything he has explored before.
Kurzel’s last film was 2024’s gritty ‘70s-style cop drama “The Order,” and before that one he had directed the best film of his career, 2021’s Cannes-winning “Nitram.” His other works include the underrated “Snowtown,” “The True History Of The Kelly Gang,” and “MacBeth.” Don’t ask about his adaptation of “Assassin’s Creed” — he might as well disown that one.
It should be noted that Kurzel has a few projects in development as there’s also the Nicole Kidman starring horror thriller “Mice,” and he most recently premiere an acclaimed series, starring Jacob Elordi, based on the Booker Prize-winning novel called ‘Narrow Road to the Deep North’ for Amazon.
However, “Burning Rainbow Farm” is next. It does not have a distributor. Given Kurzel’s history, it will most likely premiere at a festival next year.
Criterion's December lineup has some great additions to the library, but the title that jumped out at me is Werner Herzog's "Grizzly Man," which officially joins the Collection on December 8.