Written by new-contact on Nov 26, 2012. Posted in Incentive News

Australia loses new Wachowski feature to sweeter UK filming incentive

Australia has lost out on the Wachowski siblings' new feature partly due to its less competitive filming incentives. Andy and Lana Wachowski, responsible for the Matrix trilogy and Cloud Atlas, will be filming their new sci-fi film Jupiter Ascending in the UK.

The Australian Government is under pressure to almost double its existing 16.5% location offset at a time when the country is struggling to attract big-budget international productions.

Hugh Jackman’s The Wolverine is currently filming in and around Sydney after getting a one-off federal incentive payment, and the Sydney Morning Herald reports this prompted inquiries from the Wachowskis.

On the back of the one-off [payment] for The Wolverine, [the Wachowskis] indicated to us they were interested in making Jupiter Ascending in Australia if the 30% location offset eventuated.

Debra Richards, Ausfilm

Debra Richards is head of Ausfilm and spoke to the outlet: “On the back of the one-off [payment] for The Wolverine, [the Wachowskis] indicated to us they were interested in making Jupiter Ascending in Australia if the 30% location offset eventuated. Film producers want to come and work with our crews.”

The Wachowskis based all three of their Matrix films at Fox Studios Sydney ten years ago. Flash-forward a decade and the high Australian dollar has combined with the country’s lack of globally competitive filming incentives to result in an international production slump.