Written by new-contact on Aug 17, 2015. Posted in On Location

HBO TV adaptation of 70s sci-fi movie Westworld to film partly in Utah

New HBO drama Westworld will get incentive support to film scenes on location in Utah. The series is adapted from the famous 1973 movie of the same name which saw holidaymakers hunted by malfunctioning android cowboys in a futuristic theme park.

Westworld is likely to film only limited scenes in the Moab area of Utah as the production will get a tax credit of around USD 460,000 on local spending of just USD 1.8 million.

The series will be based in California, where it has passed the initial round of qualification for filming incentive support under the state’s boosted tax credit programme.

Television drama Mosaic, also from HBO and created by Oscar-winning filmmaker Steven Soderbergh, is set to spend much more time in Utah and will get a USD 2.6 million tax credit on local spending of USD 10 million.

“We are pleased to have worked closely with HBO to bring these projects to Utah,” said Virginia Pearce, Director of the Utah Film Commission: “Both productions will create additional jobs and generate a positive impact on the Utah economy. This is especially significant when the economic impact happens in rural parts of the state, as it will for Westworld.”

The new productions continue a high-profile year for Utah, which has also secured new TV soap Blood & Oil, which stars television veteran Don Johnson.

Utah offers an uncapped filming incentive of up to 25%. The state’s appeal centres on specific cinematic locations like the towering rock monoliths of Arches National Park near Moab.

(Image: HBO)