Battleship, a big-budget studio production loosely based on the popular board game, will begin filming in Hawaii at the end of August. Universal is spending around USD200 million on the film, which stars actors Taylor Kitsch and Alexander Skarsgard, as well as singer Rihanna.
Electronics giant Samsung has shot a new commercial for its Galaxy S phone in several quarries in the Czech Republic. Epic shows two armies battling each other in a rugged landscape, with a reveal showing the footage is being watched on a Galaxy S.
Director Adam Wimpenny has joined Moon Films in London. He has carved out a reputation in comedy with sketch shows such as Strutter and This is Wondervision. In addition, his short film Roar was awarded at the Rhode Island Film Festival in 2009.
Panasonic has chosen the Habu Temple in Luxor, Egypt, to shoot a new commercial for its Lumix TZ10 digital camera. Anubis shows a giant statue of the eponymous Egyptian god coming alive and chasing a dog belonging to a couple who are visiting the ancient temple.
New feature film Africa United is set across southern Africa and has been filmed in South Africa, Burundi and Rwanda. Directed by Debs Gardner-Paterson, the film tells the story of three young Rwandan street kids who decide to head to South Africa for the World Cup when they get lost in the Congo.
A new TV series produced by Steven Spielberg will be filmed mostly in Queensland, Australia, at the Warner Roadshow Studios. The 13-part time-travel disaster drama Terra Nova will inject a significant proportion of its USD150 million budget into the local economy. In addition, the vast majority of the cast and crew will be locally hired.
Shooting on the Moscow-based production of alien invasion thriller The Darkest Hour has been shut down for two weeks. This is a result of nearby wildfires that are spewing smoke across the city and have so far resulted in more than 50 deaths in and around Moscow.
British satellite broadcasting company BSkyB has filmed a new spot in Barbados to promote the World Twenty20 West Indies 2010 cricket competition. The spot shows ordinary Barbadians running to a bar to watch the games on TV as cricket balls rain down around them.