Libertine Pictures & Slim Film + Television announce double series recommission of family action adventure Mystic

Libertine Pictures (NZ) and Slim Film + Television (UK)’s internationally successful family action adventure Mystic has been recommissioned for two more series by CBBC (UK) and TVNZ (NZ).

Mystic was created for television and is written by Amy Shindler and Beth Chalmers (Pat & Cabbage for ITV, Pauline Pepys’ Dowry for Radio 4, My Family for BBC One, Threesome for Comedy Central and Horrible Histories for CBBC) and is based on New Zealand author Stacy Gregg’s internationally best-selling Pony Club Secrets book series. Production on the two new series, each comprising 8 x 30” episodes, commences on May 31 in New Zealand.  Joining Amy and Beth for series two and three are the talented New Zealand writers Sam Shore (The Sounds, Filthy Rich), Martha Hardy-Ward (Ellen is Leaving), Hamish Bennett (Bellbird) and Briar Grace-Smith (Cousins, Waru).

British actor Macey Chipping (Holby City, Vampire Academy) returns in the lead role of Issie Brown and is joined once again by New Zealanders Antonia Robinson, Max Crean, Jacqueline Joe (Top of the Lake), Josh Tan (Mulan, Tales of Nai Nai) and Harriet Walton.

In the new seasons, Issie and her gang of horse-mad friends will not only have to tackle all the usual trials and tribulations of being a teenager – romance, identity, friendship and conflict with parents – but will also have to battle against new and unexpected threats to their beloved stables and local environment.  In season two, their lives will be thrown into turmoil by the arrival of a charismatic stranger and an intriguing mystery after a valuable racehorse is poisoned.  Not only that, but Issie starts to get confusing visions of the future from ghost horse Mystic and her celebrated rescue of the wild herd in series one has attracted hordes of destructive tourists to Kauri Point.

Rounding out the core cast are Laura Patch (After Life, Bad Mother), who plays Issie’s mother Amanda, and Cathy Downes (Winter of Our Dreams, Shortland Street), who plays grandmother Mitch, along with Phil Brown (The Brokenwood Mysteries, American Playboy ), Kirk Torrance (The Dead Lands, Outrageous Fortune), Carrie Green (Under the Vines) and Jonny Brugh (What We Do In The Shadows, 800 Words),  Ari Boyland (Harrow, Reef Break, Power Rangers) and Sara Wiseman (A Place to Call Home, The Sounds, Under the Vines) are among the stellar New Zealand talent who join the ensemble cast this year.

“We are thrilled that CBBC and TVNZ are supporting two additional seasons of the show. It is exciting to be able to bring fans of Mystic more adventure, humour and horses with our Kauri Point characters. We’re delighted that Mystic has developed its own following off the back of Stacy Gregg’s hugely successful Pony Club Secrets books. With pre-production already well underway in New Zealand we’re looking forward to showcasing New Zealand and British talent and our beautiful country to an even wider international audience with two more compelling series.”

Richard Fletcher, Managing Director of Libertine Pictures

“It’s cracking news to get a double recommission of Mystic.  It’s also a fantastic testament to what was achieved on series one, by our exceptional writing team led by Amy and Beth, our brilliant cast led by our rising star Macey Chipping and the tireless production team spearheaded by our colleagues at Libertine – all achieved through the most challenging of times.”

Managing Director of Slim Film + Television and executive producer, Simon Crawford Collins

“We loved getting to know Issie and her friends in the first series of Mystic – it’s brilliant to have a series so engaged with the outdoors and the environment, and we can’t wait to bring those stunning New Zealand locations back to our audience.”

Amy Buscombe, Commissioning Editor, BBC

Mystic is a Libertine Pictures and Slim Film + Television co-production, and co-commissioned by the UK’s children’s channel, CBBC, and TVNZ (New Zealand), with investment from NZ On Air, and is distributed by Daro Film Distribution. Executive producers are Richard Fletcher for Libertine Pictures, Simon Crawford Collins for Slim Film + Television, Amy Buscombe for CBBC, Brian Bird for Super Channel, Pierre-André Rochat for Daro Film Distribution and Amy Shindler and Beth Chalmers. The two new series are produced by David Stubbs (Reservoir Hill, Girl vs. Boy) in New Zealand and Jen Burnet in the UK.