Thirty years after the Australian film “The Castle” became a cultural touchstone, the beloved story of Darryl Kerrigan and his family is set to return to the stage with a new cast. The stage adaptation, penned by the film’s original creators, is scheduled to open in March at Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre.

Justin Smith will step into the role of Darryl Kerrigan, the family patriarch famously portrayed by Michael Caton in the 1997 movie. Smith described Darryl as a figure defined by his deep love for his family, boundless optimism, and firm sense of justice—qualities that have endeared the character to audiences for generations.

Christie Whelan Browne will take on the role of Sal, Darryl’s loyal wife and the heart of the household. The youngest son, Dale, who also serves as the story’s narrator, will be played by Ed Oxenbould in his professional theatre debut. Oxenbould expressed excitement about embodying such an iconic Australian character, noting Dale’s sincere and curious worldview.

The cast also includes Joel Jackson as Wayne, the eldest son; Stephanie Graham as Tracey, the middle child and a qualified hairdresser; Marcus McKenzie as Steve, the family’s inventive thinker; and Roman Delo as Con Petropoulous, Tracey’s husband and a kickboxer.

The stage version was written by Working Dog Productions’ Rob Sitch, Tom Gleisner, Santo Cilauro, and Jane Kennedy, who were also responsible for creating the original film. The adaptation was publicly announced in June and quickly set a record for the highest first-day ticket sales for a play at Her Majesty’s Theatre.

The idea to bring “The Castle” to the stage had been contemplated for some time. Cilauro initially suggested the concept during the film’s brief 10½-day shoot on a modest $750,000 budget. Sitch recalled initially deferring the idea, focusing instead on completing the film. The movie went on to gross more than $10 million in Australia and marked the first feature film role for actor Eric Bana.

Since "The Castle," Working Dog Productions has continued to contribute to Australian entertainment with projects like “The Dish,” “Frontline,” “The Panel,” and “Utopia.” The upcoming stage production aims to capture the original’s humor and heart, introducing a new generation to the Kerrigan family’s story.