Netflix is heading to one of the Southern Hemisphere’s most iconic ski destinations: Queenstown, New Zealand.The streaming giant has officially begun production of a new eight-episode TV series set against the backdrop of New Zealand’s luxury ski scene. Starring Rufus Sewell (The Diplomat, The Holiday) and Frances O’Connor (Wednesday), the series promises a story of wealth, family, and betrayal set beneath the snow-capped peaks surrounding one of the world’s most famous mountain towns.
“Queenstown” is Netflix’s first locally commissioned scripted production filmed in New Zealand. The TV drama was written and created by Chloe Stearns (Wolf Like Me), with Glendyn Ivin (The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart) and Roseanne Liang (Avatar: The Last Airbender) directing.
Queenstown is New Zealand’s premier ski destination. The town of just 30,000 permanent residents is the gateway to four of the country’s most famous ski areas:
- The Remarkables — known for its steep terrain, terrain parks, and dramatic alpine setting.
- Coronet Peak — one of the country’s oldest ski areas, famous for extensive snowmaking and night skiing.
- Cardrona Alpine Resort — about an hour away over the Crown Range, offering some of the Southern Hemisphere’s best terrain parks and race facilities.
- Treble Cone — renowned for advanced terrain and long, uncrowded runs.
Queenstown is a true year-round destination where visitors stay in town and drive to the surrounding ski areas each morning rather than staying in ski-in, ski-out villages.
- Related: Skiing in New Zealand: Everything You Need to Know Before You Book
According to Netflix, the series explores the darker side of the glamorous resort town.“Beneath the glamour of Queenstown’s luxury ski scene, a privileged family and the people who work for them collide over power, loyalty, and desire,” the company teased in a press release. While skiing provides the backdrop, the story centers on the relationships between an influential family and those whose lives intersect with theirs in the exclusive mountain community. Netflix Australia and New Zealand Content Director Amanda Duthie described the project as: “a bold, propulsive story of power, class and family set against the opulent world of a luxury ski town.”
Aside from Sewell and O’Connor the cast includes Alycia Debnam-Carey (Apple Cider Vinegar, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart) and Te Kohe Tuhaka (Chief of War, The Convert).
The series is produced by Silent Firework and Runaway Unicorn, with executive producers including Jodi Matterson, Libbie Doherty, Chloe Stearns, and Glendyn Ivin.
Netflix says filming will take place in Queenstown itself, showcasing the spectacular landscapes that have helped make the region famous far beyond New Zealand.The production is also expected to provide a boost to the local screen industry, creating work for New Zealand crews, businesses, and emerging talent with support from the New Zealand Film Commission.
For skiers, the series may introduce millions of viewers to one of the Southern Hemisphere’s premier winter destinations. Queenstown has long been popular with Australian and New Zealand skiers, as well as Northern Hemisphere athletes training during the off-season, but remains something of a bucket-list destination for many American skiers.
Netflix has not yet announced a release date for Queenstown, but production is now underway.
