The Gold Coast is continuing to attract major star power, with Academy Award winner Russell Crowe the latest big name returning down under to begin filming on the glitter strip.
The Gladiator star is set to begin production on his latest action-thriller Bear Country next month.
The film is expected to employ around 95 people, while generating an estimated $11.9 million for the local economy.
Arts Minister and Member for Surfers Paradise John-Paul Langbroek said the Government’s Production Attraction Strategy played an important role in helping to secure the blockbuster.
“Queensland’s international reputation as a production powerhouse continues to grow and our Production Attraction Strategy Incentive plays an important role in generating a steady pipeline of work for the state’s film industry,” Langbroek said.
“I’m confident the Gold Coast’s incredible natural environment will shine in Bear Country when it conveniently doubles as Los Angeles”.
Producer of Nickel City Pictures Mark Fasano said the Gold Coast was an obvious and easy choice.
“Queensland’s Gold Coast offers an unbeatable combination of diverse locations, talented local crews and fantastic creatives,” he said.
“This, combined with the great support from Screen Queensland is why I’m excited to be back in Queensland to shoot Bear Country.”
Adapted from the Thomas Perry novel Strip, Bear Country sees Crowe play an ageing but formidable club owner, Manco Kapa, whose aspirations of selling his club and riding off into the sunset alongside his girlfriend appear more distant than ever when he’s robbed by a masked gunman.