Queensland Ready For Runner
Aerial image of Brisbane from Queen’s Wharf to the CBD, courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland
Screen Queensland has announced today that A Higher Standard and Nickel City Pictures have chosen Queensland, Australia as the setting for action film Runner, starring Reacher’s Alan Ritchson and Owen Wilson (Loki).
Secured for the state through the agency’s Production Attraction Strategy, filming commenced on 31 March, following on from earlier feature Bear Country, which wrapped on 23 March with Russell Crowe, Aaron Paul, Teresa Palmer, Nina Dobrev and Luke Evans.
Set in the Queensland capital city of Brisbane and nearby Gold Coast, Runner follows Hank Malone (Ritchson), a high-end courier faced with a harrowing, life-or-death mission: deliver an organ to a seven-year-old girl in need of an immediate transplant. The straightforward task rapidly devolves into a perilous game of cat and mouse, when outside interests get involved and set their sights on claiming the organ.
Wilson will play Ben, the medical courier that Ritchson is begrudgingly forced to transport and protect.
Minister for the Arts John-Paul Langbroek said Queensland was fast becoming the film production destination of choice.
“From gritty urban thrillers like Runner to beachside blockbusters like Ticket to Paradise, the sunshine state always looks incredible on the big screen and it’s great that the international producers wanted to feature Queensland as Queensland for this film,” Minister Langbroek said.
“We know Runner will contribute about $20 million to the state’s economy and employ almost 90 local cast and crew during production.”
Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney said that A Higher Standard and Nickel City Pictures making back-to-back productions in Queensland was a great example of the growth in repeat business that the state’s screen production sector is achieving with local and international producers.
“Queensland is a film-friendly state with a highly skilled crew base and an array of locations close to studio and post-production facilities. With the strong backing of state and federal governments through competitive incentives, we are well positioned to deliver outstanding results for productions across a range of budgets and technical requirements.”
A Higher Standard’s Jeffrey Greenstein said that “Runner marks the second collaboration with Mark Fasano and Nickel City Pictures in Queensland, the first of which was our Russell Crowe film Bear Country, that’s set in Los Angeles.
“The location and aesthetic offer incredibly cinematic and diverse landscapes and scenery, so we thought how better to follow up than actually shooting a film here that is set here,” said Greenstein.
Runner is written by Miles Hubley and Tommy White and directed by Scott Waugh (Need for Speed, Expendables 4) The film is produced by Mark Fasano (Marlowe) of Nickel City Pictures; Jeffrey Greenstein (The Hitman’s Bodyguard) of A Higher Standard; Deborah Glover (Sleeping Dogs) of G2 Dispatch; Todd Garner (Broken Road Productions), and Dan Spilo (Industry Entertainment). The film is supported by the Australian Government through the Location Offset, the Queensland Government through the Production Attraction Strategy, and the City of Gold Coast.
Productions made in Queensland during 2025 have so far included Anaconda, Bear Country, Fing!, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (Season Two), Spa Weekend and Voltron. Recent releases include Black Snow, Darby and Joan, Good Cop/Bad Cop, Nautilus, Spitand The Lost Tiger, with Dangerous Animals and Mortal Kombat 2 confirmed for release later in the year.
https://screenqueensland.com.au/sq-news/media-centre/queensland-ready-for-runner/