Written by new-contact on Feb 13, 2012. Posted in Production News

Setback for Australia as Paradise Lost cancels Fox Film Studios shoot

In a setback for the Australian film industry the planned big-budget adaptation of Paradise Lost has been cancelled. The project was scheduled to film at Fox Studios in Sydney, but the production company has got cold feet as the budget swelled way north of USD100 million.

The project was set to be a major boost for the New South Wales (NSW) film industry with a hefty cash injection to the local economy and the creation of well over 1,000 local jobs. It’s possible the shoot may be reconsidered at some point – similar to the temporary shutdown on The Lone Ranger last year – but there’s no word on any immediate plans to save it.

We will continue to take a proactive approach to marketing the State’s talent and facilities, especially in light of the high Australian dollar. We remain in negotiations with movie studios about other upcoming projects.

Andrew Stoner, Acting NSW Premier

Andrew Stoner is Acting NSW Premier and Minister for Trade and Investment: “This is a blow to the NSW film industry and will be very disappointing to the filmmakers and the crew and cast who were expecting to work on the film.

“We will continue to take a proactive approach to marketing the State’s talent and facilities, especially in light of the high Australian dollar. We remain in negotiations with movie studios about other upcoming projects.”

There’s also uncertainty about the future of the Steven Spielberg-produced TV series Terra Nova. The show was a boost for Queensland’s film industry when it filmed a first-season run, but less-than-stellar ratings mean it’s yet to win a second-season commission. Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby is one of the biggest projects filming in Australia at the moment.