Sphere Abacus has acquired worldwide distribution rights to “Treasure & Dirt,” a gripping new Australian thriller from award-winning production company Easy Tiger. The six-part series was produced for the ABC in association with the BBC and the South Australian Film Corporation, and is based on the bestselling novel by Chris Hammer, author of “Scrublands.”
Jonathan Ford, Managing Director at Sphere Abacus, stated: “We are delighted to acquire this gripping thriller from the producers of ‘Scrublands’ and ‘Scrublands Silver,’ both high-end series which have proven incredibly popular around the world. We’re sure this new series, which boasts an impeccable cast along with a dark and mysterious narrative, will be another international hit.”
The cast includes Michael Dorman (“Territory”), Liv Hewson (“Yellowjackets”), Sarah Peirse (“The Twelve: Cape Rock Killer”), and Thomas M. Wright (“Wolfram”). The series is directed by Madeleine Gottlieb (“The Twelve: Cape Rock Killer”) and produced by Rebecca Summerton (“The Hunting,” “Aftertaste”). Executive producers are Ian Collie and Rob Gibson, known for “Colin from Accounts” and “Scrublands,” alongside Matt Cameron (“The Clearing,” “Prosper”).
Set in a decaying opal town in the Australian desert, “Treasure & Dirt” follows big-city homicide detective Ivan Lucic and rural officer Nell Buchanan as they investigate the beheading of a miner found decomposing in his own claim. Their inquiry pulls them into a twisted web of greed, secrets, and surreal danger, revealing a lawless community where “thieves raid the mines, zealots preach salvation to the lost, and billionaire magnates play god.”
The acquisition reinforces Sphere Abacus’s global strategy following its 2025 investment by Bell Media. As the worldwide sales division of Sphere Media, Sphere Abacus handles premium, multi-genre content distribution, partnering with top-tier producers and broadcasters to facilitate global deals. Sphere Media itself is a Canadian production powerhouse with a catalogue of award-winning scripted and unscripted titles, including “Transplant,” “The Porter,” and “Sort Of,” which earned accolades such as an Emmy nomination, a Peabody Award, and the MIPCOM Cannes Diversity Award.
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