Mockbuster (film)

Mockbuster is a 2025 Australian documentary film directed by Anthony Frith. It is a behind-the-scenes look at Frith's experience of making a mockbuster film called The Land That Time Forgot for American studio The Asylum.

Synopsis

Australian filmmaker Anthony Frith is contracted to American mockbuster film production studio and distributor The Asylum, known for their 2013 film Sharknado. He has to direct a film called The Land That Time Forgot, a "lost-world dinosaur epic" set in his hometown of Adelaide, South Australia, on a shoestring budget, and to be completed in six days. Mockbuster is a behind-the-scenes documentary showing Frith's progress through the making of the film.[1]

Cast

Production

The film was presented at Marché du Film at Cannes Film Festival in April 2024, as part of "Adelaide goes to Cannes".[2]

The film is a "double-feature" directorial debut for Anthony Frith (who also works as a tutor with the University of South Australia), with the creation of The Land That Time Forgot along with Mockbuster.[3][4] He said afterwards "I went into this project thinking that directing a dinosaur movie for The Asylum would be fun, and that it would make for a hilarious behind-the-scenes doc... started to see their true genius: controlled chaos".[4]

Funding for Mockbuster was provided by Screen Australia, with the South Australian Film Corporation and the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund, in association with VicScreen.[4] Additional funding was provided by KOJO Studios, Green Marble Productions, and Time Horse Productions.[4]

The film was co-written by Frith and Sandy Cameron (a UniSA lecturer in film and television[3]), and produced by Cameron, David Elliot-Jones, and Naomi Ball,[1] through Mostly True Media and Walking Fish Productions.[4]

Maxx Corkindale was responsible for the cinematography, Bryony Marks composed the score, and David Scarborough edited the film.[1]

Executive producers included New Zealand filmmaker David Farrier, Nick Savva (general manager of Giant Pictures), Madeleine Schumacher, Alex West, Ty Morse, Phil Laboon, Ari Harrison, and Cam Rogers.[4]

Release

Mockbuster had its world premiere at the 2025 Adelaide Film Festival on 24 October 2025 at the Piccadilly Cinema in North Adelaide.[1] The Land That Time Forgot also got its premiere at the festival, screening at The Mercury on 26 October.[3][5]

The film was acquired by American distribution company Giant Pictures for worldwide distribution, while Umbrella Entertainment has distribution rights for Australia and New Zealand.[4]

The film will be screened at various North American film festivals, before theatrical release in the US in late spring 2026.[4][6]

Accolades

Mockbuster won the Feature Documentary Audience Award at the Adelaide Film Festival.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Mockbuster". Adelaide Film Festival. Archived from the original on 30 September 2025. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  2. ^ "Mockbuster". Marché du Film. 26 April 2024. Archived from the original on 15 July 2025. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  3. ^ a b c "Hollywood dream leads to double debut for UniSA filmmaker". UniSA. 24 October 2025. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Ritman, Alex (23 October 2025). "'Mockbuster' Documentary, About Director Drawn Into 'Gloriously Chaotic' B-Movie Orbit of 'Sharknado' Studio, Bought by Giant Pictures (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 31 October 2025. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  5. ^ "The Land That Time Forgot". Adelaide Film Festival. Archived from the original on 30 September 2025. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  6. ^ Squires, John (23 October 2025). "'Mockbuster' – Upcoming Documentary Will Explore the Wacky World of The Asylum". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  7. ^ "AFF 2025 Award Winners". Adelaide Film Festival. Archived from the original on 31 October 2025. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
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