David Wenham Joins Graham McTavish in First Trailer for ‘The Dog Show’

Australian actor David Wenham is heading across the Tasman for The Dog Show, a new feature inspired by one of New Zealand television’s most recognisable rural programs.

The first trailer for the family film has been released, offering an early look at Graham McTavish as a disgraced former champion sheep dog triallist attempting to reclaim his confidence — and save his family farm.

Set in 1970s New Zealand, The Dog Show follows Jack, played by Outlander and The Hobbit star McTavish, whose career came crashing down following a particularly humiliating encounter with an uncooperative sheep named Dolores.

Years later, financial trouble forces Jack back towards the sport when his granddaughter Lucy, played by Unaiki Stephens-Jones, reveals a natural talent for dog trialling.

Their attempt at a comeback brings Jack into conflict with his neighbour Trent, played by Wenham.

The role gives Wenham another trip into New Zealand territory more than two decades after the Australian actor appeared as Faramir in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Written and directed by Alex Galvin, The Dog Show also stars Theresa Healey, Ryan O’Kane, Kali Kopae, Jed Brophy and Jamie McCaskill.

The film takes inspiration from the long-running New Zealand television program A Dog’s Show, which turned competitive sheep dog trialling into unlikely primetime entertainment.

For the feature adaptation, production moved onto real farms across Wellington and the Wairarapa, with filmmakers using working dogs and natural light to capture the rural environment.

Producer Celia Jaspers said her own experience running a farm near Martinborough helped inform the production, with the team choosing working properties rather than recreating the environment elsewhere.

McTavish also found something personal in Jack’s story, saying the character’s relationship with his son reflected aspects of his own relationship with his father.

Behind the camera, Galvin is joined by producers Jaspers and Mark Westerby, while post-production was completed at Peter Jackson’s Park Road Post Production. The film also features music from Split Enz alongside an original score recorded with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

While its roots are distinctly Kiwi, Wenham gives the film a notable Australian connection.

The Dog Show is scheduled to arrive in New Zealand cinemas on January 14, 2027.