Written by new-contact on Feb 18, 2015. Posted in On Location

Pirates of the Caribbean 5 starts filming on location in Australia

Johnny Depp is returning in his popular role as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, which has started filming in Australia. The movie is based at Village Roadshow Studios in Queensland and will also shoot on location across the state.

Disney first confirmed Australia as a filming location in October last year and agreed to film in Queensland in return for a filming incentive payment worth AUD 21 million.

“The fifth film in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise will be the largest international feature film ever to shoot in Australia and will focus the world’s attention on Australia as a leading film destination,” said Senator George Brandis, Federal Minister for the Arts, when the movie was first confirmed for Australia.

“Our investment in attracting the film to Australia will result in substantial benefits for the screen industry and economy.”

The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise started in 2003 and has largely filmed its studio work in California, although the fourth movie shot extensively in the UK. Shifting production to Queensland for the fifth instalment continues Australia’s resurgence as an international filming location.

Australia has recently hosted Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken and doubled for California in the upcoming disaster movie San Andreas. More TV productions are also choosing Australia, with US cable channel Syfy filming miniseries Childhood’s End on location in Melbourne.

California is planning to attract more big-budget features by boosting its filming incentive in the coming months, although most of its increased annual film fund will be set aside for TV shoots.