Written by Tom Deehan on Dec 15, 2016. Posted in Incentive News / On Location / Production News

Australia reels in Aquaman with increased incentive deal

James Wan’s Aquaman will now be filmed in Australia’s Gold Coast, after an unspecified incentive deal was reached between Warner Bros. and the Queensland Government. The production is expected to bring in a local spend of AUS100 million, creating at least 600 new jobs in the process.

Starring Jason Momoa as the titular superhero, Aquaman will be tied to the DC Comics Cinematic Universe. Other instalments in the series include Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Man of Steel.

Detailing the agreement, Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk explains: “Queensland was successful in winning a competitive bid to attract Aquaman contributing to our reputation as a leading film destination… last financial year was Queensland's best year in terms of attracting production expenditure since 2002-03 - a record year - of AUS233 million."

Aquaman will largely be filmed at Village Roadshow Studios, which recently hosted the production of Thor: Ragnarok. On location filming in the surrounding area is expected to follow the stage shoots.

She continues: “our Studios offer the biggest sound stage in the Southern Hemisphere and Australia's largest purpose-built water tank. And it is not only our physical assets that attracted the Aquaman production to Queensland as we believe that our crew and creatives are the best in the business.”

Since assuming office in February 2015, Palaszczuk’s administration has catapulted Queensland’s reputation as an international production hub by securing a number of high-budget feature films including Pacific Rim 2, Alien: Covenant and the aforementioned Marvel project, Thor: Ragnarok.

Prior to the current trend, very few international productions used Australia as a filming location due to its costly rates of expenditure. The cinematic reboot of Tomb Raider decided against filming in Australia earlier this year due to the limitations of the current incentive programme.

Palaszczuk adds: “Australia doesn't have a competitive tax system. The one-off increases to the Federal Location Tax Offset from 16.5% to 30% must become permanent.” A minimum spend of AUS15 million is required to qualify for the incentive.