Narnia, Lantern, Break Shoot In Oz

By Garth Franklin Wednesday, December 17th 2008 7:32am

With the fall of the local dollar, Australia is once again becoming a hot location for Hollywood productions

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Warner Roadshow Studios on the Gold Coast is favored to win the contract for filming on “The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader” thanks to its giant water tank.

Shooting was to begin in Mexico next month at Baja Studios. However difficult conditions, including a rise in violence associated with a drug war, are believed to have led Disney and Walden Media to hunt for a new location for the $100 million film.

The production needs studios, beaches, jungles and other locations for a five-month shoot. The producers investigated Australia as a location before they settled on Mexico.

The news comes as studios in Sydney and Melbourne are fighting for the superhero feature “Green Lantern” which is said to be settling on its locations shortly.

Finally the Jan De Bont-directed “Point Break Indo” will be shot in parts of the northern state of Queensland. Singapore and Bali will also be used for location shooting.