DROPBEAR Is Coming Home: We’ve Secured the Australian and New Zealand Theatrical & Home-Media Rights

©ITN Distribution - Karlye Frith - LtR  Connor Pullinger, Caymond, Adam Ovadia, Jessica Burgess

Six Foot Four Productions has secured the Australian and New Zealand theatrical and home-media rights to our creature feature DROPBEAR from ITN Distribution (USA).

This distributor took a punt on an Australian film about killer koalas and backed it from day one.

This means we can bring DROPBEAR to local cinemas first, followed by a collector-minded home release tailored to fans who love to own their movies.

A filmmaker-led release, built in Adelaide

DROPBEAR was produced entirely through our integrated Adelaide pipeline, which includes Equip-it Gear, Six Foot Four Productions, Star Avenue Studios, Pulsar Post, and Australis FX. This collaboration allowed us to make quick decisions, control costs, and maximize every dollar spent on screen.

Principal photography took place over eight days in April 2025, primarily at Star Avenue Studios in Dudley Park, with additional filming in the scenic areas just outside Mount Barker in the Adelaide Hills. Remarkably, from the first day of shooting, we achieved a finished master in just six months.

This efficiency stems from having equipment, stages, post-production, and visual effects working seamlessly together.

©ITN Distribution - Karlye Frith - LtR  Kieren Thomas McNamara, Lucas Andrews 

VFX made here, by South Australians

Thanks to funding from the City of Port Adelaide Enfield Arts & Culture Grant, Australis FX recruited and trained a local team of artists who successfully completed 365 visual effects shots in-house. This newly developed capability is now benefiting additional U.S. features and local productions through our sister companies, Pulsar Post and Australis FX, thereby enhancing South Australia’s post-production and visual effects capacity.

Jackson Johns, Associate Producer: “Standing up a South Australian VFX unit that could deliver 365 shots in-house changed the game. The grant support let us train locally, turn shots around fast, and parlay that experience into new work on U.S. and domestic shows — proof we can finish effects-heavy genre films right here in Adelaide.”

Growing the local screen ecosystem

As the South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) continues its work attracting larger productions to the state, our goal is to ensure local crews are ready to seize those opportunities. DROPBEAR has provided early-career practitioners with real feature credits and hands-on experience alongside seasoned heads of department — practical, resume-level momentum for the next wave of South Australian talent.

What’s next

There’s no confirmed release date yet, but we’re eyeing a November premiere so audiences can experience DROPBEAR on the big screen first. From there, we’ll roll into a collector-friendly home-media plan designed for horror-comedy fans who re-watch, quote and collect.

And yes, a DROPBEAR sequel is already in motion, with production targeting a late-November / early-December shoot, once again powered by the same integrated pipeline.

John deCaux, writer–director, producer: “Like many small production houses across Australia, we’ve faced enormous challenges keeping the lights on while telling the stories we believe in. Securing local rights for Dropbear is proof that even in the toughest moments, independent filmmakers can still carve out a place on the big screen.”

About the film

Two dodgy outback tour guides stage a fake “drop-bear encounter” for American thrill-seekers — only to trespass into the realm of a flesh-hungry Koala King and his eucalyptus-addicted horde. What begins as a scam becomes a treetop fight for survival.

©ITN Distribution - Karlye Frith LtR Adam Ovadia, Caymond

Studio: ITN Studio

Production Company: Six Foot Four Productions

Executive Producers: Stuart Alson, Nicole Holland

Writer / Director / Producer: John deCaux

Associate Producer: Jackson Johns

Production Designer: Shannyn McKay

Costumes: Emilia McDonald

Make up: Tianna Faulkner

Editor: James Gleeson

Composer: Bill Palmer

Principal Cast: Connor Pullinger, Jessica Burgess, Adam Ovadia, Caymond, Kieren Thomas McNamara, Lucas Andrews and Yoz Mensch as the Koala King

Supported by the City of Port Adelaide Enfield Arts & Culture Grant