Netflix Unveils 'Queenstown', Its First Original Series Commissioned in New Zealand

Netflix has started production on its first original series ever commissioned in New Zealand, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The eight-episode drama, titled Queenstown, is set in the South Island resort town of the same name.

The series was created and written by Chloe Stearns (Wolf Like Me), with Glendyn Ivin (The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart) serving as lead director and executive producer. Emmy nominee Rufus Sewell (The Diplomat) leads the ensemble cast alongside Frances O’Connor (Wednesday), Alycia Debnam-Carey (The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart), and New Zealand actor Te Kohe Tuhaka (Chief of War).

What is the show about?

Unfolding amid the luxury ski scene, the show follows a wealthy family and the people who work for them as their lives collide over power, loyalty, and desire. Netflix described the story as “a wealthy family at war with itself.” Production is currently underway on location in Queenstown.

Why is this a big deal for Netflix?

This commission marks a strategic expansion for the streamer in the region. While New Zealand has long served as a filming location for Netflix projects like Sweet Tooth, this is the first series the company has developed and commissioned specifically for the country. Amanda Duthie, Netflix’s content director for Australia and New Zealand, called it “a huge moment for us.”

Executive producers Jodi Matterson and Libbie Doherty hailed Stearns as “an extraordinary new voice” in a joint statement, predicting the series will become “audiences’ next obsession.” A premiere date has not yet been announced.