Prime Video Orders Two True Crime Docs and a Fourth Season of 'The Test' for Australia
Prime Video has ordered two true crime documentaries and a fourth season of cricket series 'The Test' for its Australian originals slate, bringing Amazon's total commissions out of the country to 34 since 2019. All three titles will launch worldwide on the streaming service. The orders were reported by Deadline on 8 September 2026.
The first documentary, 'Free Spirits: The Backpacker Poisonings' (working title), is a three-part series from Cineflix, produced for Amazon MGM Studios. It examines the 2024 incident in which six backpackers — including two Australians and an American — died after drinking free alcoholic shots tainted by methanol in Laos. The series reconstructs what happened through the backpackers' own mobile phone footage, final messages, and testimony from survivors and victims' families. The legal aftermath is still unfolding: the owner of a distillery linked to the case could face up to three months in jail over the alleged poisoning of Australian teenagers, according to The Guardian in July 2026.
The second documentary, 'Madness of Three', is a five-part series from Blackfella Films, also produced for Amazon MGM Studios with exclusive access. It covers the 2022 murders in Wieambilla, Queensland, where Nathaniel, Stacey and Gareth Train ambushed and killed two police constables, Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow, along with 58-year-old Alan Dare. The siege ended when police shot and killed the three Train family members.
The third order, 'The Test' Season 4, continues the documentary series following Australia's cricket team. The new season will cover the team's return to South Africa, a full five-Test series in India, the 150th anniversary Test, and the 2027 Ashes. 'The Test' is produced by Cricket Australia, Whooshka Media and Amazon MGM Studios. Prime Video previously announced a third season renewal in December 2023.
Sarah Christie, head of Australian and New Zealand Originals at Amazon MGM Studios, commented on the new commissions, though specific remarks were not detailed in the Deadline report. The three titles join a slate that has grown steadily since Amazon began commissioning originals out of Australia in 2019.
What stands out is the range. A single announcement pairs a sports documentary tracking one of cricket's most demanding schedules with two true crime series rooted in recent, high-profile Australian and regional tragedies. The slate now spans scripted, unscripted and sport under one umbrella — a reflection of how streaming platforms have consolidated what were once separate commissioning markets.
No release dates have been confirmed for any of the three titles.
