Authorities in Louisiana have moved closer towards reforming the state’s generous filming incentive by agreeing a USD 180 million annual cap to rein in spending. Mark Wahlberg’s true-life oil rig drama Deepwater Horizon is the latest high-profile production to film locally.
Jurassic World continues the dinosaur adventure saga that began with Jurassic Park back in 1993, and is the third sequel in the franchise. Like the first film, the new movie shot its location work in Hawaii, but the new story pits its human heroes against a new, genetically-enhanced dinosaur.
Louisiana is likely to impose a cap on annual spending for its 30% filming incentive in the coming weeks. The state has recently hosted dinosaur sequel Jurassic World and is currently home to Matthew McConaughey’s true-life Civil War drama The Free State of Jones.
Louisiana’s filming incentive supported economic output worth nearly USD 1.6 billion in 2013, according to new figures. The state offers a 30% uncapped filming incentive which in the past year alone has attracted major features like Terminator Genisys and Jurassic World.
A new Japanese version of Godzilla is to be made by Toho Studios since the success of last year’s US remake revealed a continued appetite for the classic monster. The new film will be made by renowned Japanese filmmakers Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi.
Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey has started filming new Civil War drama The Free State of Jones on location in New Orleans, doubling the state for Mississippi. Louisiana is no stranger to historical features, having recently hosted Django Unchained and 12 Years A Slave.
A planned overhaul of Louisiana’s filming incentives could involve introducing an annual funding cap for the first time. The state’s incentives have turned it into one of the top production centres in the US, with Jurassic World and Terminator: Genisys among the major recent shoots.
Hawaii’s Big Island got a production boost in 2014 hosting the TV game show Wheel of Fortune, but the county still failed to attract any large-scale features. Recent movie productions like Battleship, Jurassic World and Godzilla have shot in other parts of the state, particularly Oahu.