‘A crime against acting’: Viewers slam first look at ’embarrassing’ Shane Warne biopic

Aussie audiences have been given a sneak peek at the highly anticipated Shane Warne biopic and if initial reactions are anything to go by the production has fallen short of honouring the late cricketing icon.

A trailer for the miniseries aired during Wednesday’s broadcast of the State of Origin, and the condemnation was swift and unrelenting with viewers labelling the series “embarrassing”, one claiming that Warne “deserves better”.

Warne died at the age 52 while holidaying on the island of Koh Samui in Thailand on March 4, 2022.

Warne’s management released a statement shortly after his passing acknowledging the tragedy.

“Shane was found unresponsive in his villa and despite the best efforts of medical staff, he could not be revived,” the statement said.

It wasn’t long after Warne’s death that the Nine confirmed that it was in the process of producing a miniseries about Warne’s life.

Nine’s head of drama, Andy Ryan, previously told The Sydney Morning Herald that the Warne biopic “will be larger than life – entertaining, confronting, thought-provoking”.

“Warnie’s life was so full of drama, like the man himself,” Ryan told the publication.

“We want to explore what made Warnie so special, and why he had such a powerful effect on people. He was a sporting legend, a national treasure, international kind of icon, but he was also a larrikin, a rogue and a charmer and a flawed man.

“The national outpouring of grief over his passing had shown us – if we needed telling – just what a sort of impact he’s had on the national conversation.”

Although network executives were excited for the upcoming series, it would seem viewers don’t share the same enthusiasm after taking to social media to share their less than optimistic views on the series.

Oh wow, I just saw the first advert for the ‘Warnie’ miniseries and it looks *exactly* like the kind of badly written, poorly acted, train crash of thing that you’d expect it to be. No, I won’t be tuning in.

— The Doctor Who Show ???????? (@theDWshow) May 31, 2023

Are channel 9 taking the piss with the Warnie mini series. That promo was shithouse, embarrassing and disgraceful. Let him rest in peace

— Troy (@troy_79) May 31, 2023

On the YeahNah scale the Warnie TV drama series look like a massive nah #Origin

— Anthony Sharwood ❄️ (@antsharwood) May 31, 2023

OMG !!! I just saw the Warnie promo ….. it’s a crime against acting, entertainment & brain cells

— Brett Graham (@worldofBG) May 31, 2023

That #warnie trailer looks horrendous. The legends deserves better than that.

— Ben Peterson (@Benji_Pete) May 31, 2023

Perhaps the show’s creators should have listened to Warne’s eldest daughter who has remained vocal in her opposition to the production.

As news broke that production had begun on the series, Brooke took to Instagram to vent her frustration.

Brooke questioned whether the broadcaster had “any respect” for her late father when a conversation between Nine presenter Jo Hall and radio personality Dee Dee Dunleavy turned to the upcoming movie on radio station 3AW.

“Do any of you have any respect for Dad? Or his family? Who did so much for Channel 9 and now you want to dramatise his life and our families life 6 months after he passed away? You are beyond disrespectful,” she wrote on her Instagram story at the time.

The miniseries, titled Warnie, is due to air in late 2023.