A Universal Cable Productions series, a division of NBCUniversal, Childhood’s End was secured through Film Victoria with Victorian Government support.
Childhood’s End was filmed at Docklands Studios and at various locations around Melbourne over 13 weeks in 2014 and 2015, and involved around 380 talented local practitioners, including up to 15 heads of department.
Childhood’s End followed fantasy adventure feature film The Moon and the Sun, starring Pierce Brosnan, William Hurt and Fan BingBing, and Stuart Beattie’s I, Frankenstein as the latest major production attracted to Victoria.
Hailed as a revolutionary work of science fiction since its publication in 1953, Childhood’s End follows the peaceful alien invasion of Earth by the mysterious 'Overlords', whose arrival begins decades of apparent utopia under indirect alien rule, at the cost of human identity and culture.
Childhood’s End was adapted by Matthew Graham (creator of BBC's Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes), with Mike DeLuca (Captain Philips, Moneyball, The Social Network) and Akiva Goldsman (Lone Survivor, Paranormal Activity, I Am Legend) attached as executive producers, with Universal Cable Productions as the studio. It was produced through HayPop Pty Ltd’s Jeff Hayes and Brett Popplewell.
“Universal Cable Productions is a major player and critically acclaimed studio in the business of television production. Their decision to select Melbourne as the location for Childhood’s End is testament to the amazing crews, great facilities, diverse locations and film-friendly policies we offer here in Victoria,” said Film Victoria CEO Jenni Tosi. “We're thrilled that Victoria's screen practitioners and businesses had the opportunity to once again demonstrate their talent on a major international production, which will be seen by audiences across the globe,” Ms Tosi said.
The series commenced pre-production in September 2014 with principal photography beginning in November.
The six-hour miniseries premiered on Syfy in the U.S. in December 2015. Watch the trailer