by The Mary Sue — September 20 2023
One word dominated the collective cinematic consciousness in the early to mid-1990s: dinosaurs. In fact, Steven Spielberg’s iconic film Jurassic Park spent a significant amount of time soaking up the attention of the entire world after it originally burst onto screens in 1993 and transformed cinema forever, with one exception.
The one exception was New Zealand, which released Once Were Warriors a year later. Directed by Lee Tamahori and starring Temuera Morrison, it was based on the Alan Duff novel of the same name. Once Were Warriors went on to break Jurassic Park’s box office record and become the highest-grossing movie in New Zealand ever. And now, one of the finest films in New Zealand’s history is receiving a whole new restoration.
According to Deadline, Rick Selvage, executive producer of The Wheel of Time, will direct the as-yet-untitled episodic television sequel. It will take place 30 years after the first movie, which told the tale of the Heke family, decedents of Mori warriors who struggle with poverty, domestic violence, and the general colonial debilitation that Mori culture and people have to contend with.