Delivering on its promise to explore an array of production formats, Australian pubcaster ABC3 has partnered with Sydney-based Ambience Entertainment (Figaro Pho) on Tomorrow, When the War Began, a dramatic new teen-targeted miniseries adapted from the bestselling novels by Aussie writer John Marsden.

With casting underway and pre-production set to begin in June, the six x one-hour series will tell the story of a group of teenagers who are separated from their families following an invasion of their country.

ABC, Screen Australia, Film Victoria and Ingenious Investments are supporting the series financially, and Ambience will produce in Victoria.

The book, one of seven in Marsden’s The Tomorrow Series, was first published in 1993 and more than three million copies have been sold to date.

Kim Vecera (Cloudstreet, Tangle), Matthew Street (The Messenger) and Christopher Mapp (The Bank Job, W) are on-board as exec producers, with Farscape’s Tony Winley producing and Return to Nim’s Island‘s Brendan Maher directing.

Blake Ayshford is leading the writing team with Alice Addison, Justin Monjo and Josh Mapleston.

The miniseries comes on the heels of another new drama currently in production for ABC3, live-action teen series Ready For This from the creative team behind hit series Dance Academy.