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Disney Channel lands Aussie drama ‘Back of the Net’

‘Back of the Net.’

The Disney Channel has acquired the US rights to Louise Alston’s young adult drama Back of the Net, which stars Sofia Wylie.

Produced by the Steve Jaggi Company, the film follows Wylie as American science student Cory Bailey, who finds herself stuck at a soccer academy in Sydney for the summer.

Despite her lack of interest in the sport she is determined to end her team’s losing streak and beat the school’s mean girl Evie (Tiarnie Coupland).

Scripted by US writers Casie Tabanou and Alison Spuck McNeeley and also featuring Trae Robin, Gemma Chua-Tran, Ashleigh Maree Ross, Yasmin Honeychurch, Christopher Kirby and Kate Box, it will premiere on the Disney Channel and DisneyNow at 8 pm EDT/PDT on Saturday June 15.

The network was the natural home for the movie as Wylie starred as Buffy Driscoll in Disney Channel’s Andi Mack series. She is currently filming High School Musical: The Musical: The Series for direct-to-consumer streaming service Disney+.

She is also the voice of Riri Williams (AKA Ironheart) in the Marvel Rising: Heart of Iron animated series, which screens on the Marvel HQ YouTube channel.

Umbrella Entertainment released Back of the Net in Oz. MarVista Entertainment handled international sales. Jaggi had foreshadowed a deal with a US studio, which would guarantee a high profile US release and a significant return for investors.