(2023)

Submitted by Steve


Baz Luhrmann, the director of the 2008 movie Australia, shot many scenes that didn’t make it into the movie. In 2023, he re-edited the movie to include those scenes and released it as the 6-part TV miniseries Faraway Downs. The story in the miniseries and the movie are identical, with one big exception.

Drover (Hugh Jackman) returns to Darwin with the rescued Nullah, an Aboriginal boy, and the others who were held on Mission Island. After they are reunited with Sarah (Nicole Kidman), they prepare to return to her ranch, Faraway Downs. Fletcher (David Wenham) sees Nullah, and because he blames the boy for his financial ruin, gets a rifle to shoot him. Sarah and Drover both see this and run to Nullah, just as Fletcher fires. At that moment, Fletcher is speared by King George, Nullah’s grandfather, and dies.

Here’s the difference.
In Australia, the bullet misses Nullah, and the trio return to Faraway Downs. Sometime later, King George shows up and calls out his grandson. As Sarah and Drover look on, Nullah returns to the outback and his people.
In Faraway Downs, the bullet hits Drover, killing him. Sarah and Nullah return to Faraway Downs by themselves, and after Nullah goes with King George, Sarah is left to run the ranch by herself.

AUSTRALIA (2008) Trailer