Hollywood productions have injected $1.5BILLION into the Australian economy and created more than 12,000 jobs (so don’t complain about A-list stars getting special treatment)
Australia has become the new Hollywood during the Covid-19 pandemic as major movie studios relocate their productions Down Under.
And a new report suggests the influx of famous actors and filmmakers is expected to inject more than $1.47billion into Australia’s economy.
The suite of locally produced blockbusters has also created more than 11,800 industry jobs, according to The Australian.
While there has been some resistance to A-list stars getting ‘special treatment’ by being allowed to quarantine privately instead of at hotels, the latest figures prove the film productions are a worthwhile investment.
Boom: The influx of Hollywood actors and filmmakers shooting projects in Australia is expected to inject more than $1.47billion into the local economy. Pictured: Chris Hemsworth, who is filming Thor: Love and Thunder in Sydney
The likes of Chris Hemsworth and Nicole Kidman led the charge at the start of the pandemic by encouraging American film studios to base their productions in Australia, which has handled the Covid crisis better than most countries.
Kidman’s mini series Nine Perfect Strangers, starring the likes of Melissa McCarthy and Bobby Cannavale, wrapped filming in Byron Bay in December.
That production is believed to have injected more than $100million into the New South Wales economy and created hundreds of jobs.
Hemsworth began shooting Netflix sci-fi film Escape from Spiderhead on Queensland’s Gold Coast in November.
He also kicked off Thor: Love and Thunder in Sydney in January, alongside co-stars Christian Bale, Chris Pratt and Natalie Portman.
Backing the industry: The likes of Chris Hemsworth (pictured) and Nicole Kidman led the charge at the start of the pandemic by encouraging American film studios to base their productions in Australia, which has handled the Covid crisis better than most countries
Success: Kidman’s mini series Nine Perfect Strangers, starring the likes of Melissa McCarthy and Bobby Cannavale, wrapped filming in Byron Bay in December and is believed to have injected more than $100million into the New South Wales economy
Director Benjamin Millepied, who is married to Natalie Portman, has also begun work on his film adaptation of the opera Carmen, which stars Elsa Pataky and Paul Mescal.
Meanwhile, Liam Neeson is shooting action movie Blacklight in Melbourne, and Jamie Dornan and Zac Efron are both filming projects in South Australia.
Production on Netflix series Pieces of Her was also relocated from Canada to Sydney due to coronavirus fears.
The drama, starring Australian actress Toni Collette, is expected to deliver 400 local jobs and contribute an estimated $58million to the NSW economy.
George Miller’s $60million fantasy drama Three Thousand Years of Longing is being filmed in Sydney’s northern suburbs with Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba.
Impressive: Production on Netflix series Pieces of Her was also relocated from Canada to Sydney due to Covid fears. The drama, starring Toni Collette (pictured), is expected to deliver 400 local jobs and contribute an estimated $58million to the NSW economy
Welcome visitors: Actress Natalie Portman is filming Thor: Love and Thunder in Australia while her husband, Benjamin Millepied, directs the film adaptation of the opera Carmen
Sneak peek: Zac Efron is filming Stan Original movie Gold in South Australia
Stars galore: Liam Neeson is shooting action movie Blacklight in Melbourne
Last year, Universal Studio Group inked a deal to shoot three of its upcoming TV shows in Queensland: Young Rock, about the early life of Dwayne Johnson, Irreverent, and a Tiger King spin-off called Joe Exotic.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the productions would contribute $143million to the state’s economy.
Some films, like Oscar-winning director Ron Howard’s Thirteen Lives, about the 2018 Thai cave rescue, have been supported by millions of dollars in government funding.