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Australia secures production rights for two Hollywood blockbusters

Xinhua, October 22, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Australian government confirmed it had secured the local production of two Hollywood blockbusters on Thursday, with the next Marvel movie and Ridley Scott's next film to be made in Australia.

Announced by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on Thursday, Marvel's Thor, which stars local actor Chris Hemsworth, and Ridley Scott's Alien: Paradise Lost were both locked-in by the government, with production to begin next year.

Bishop said that a number of Hollywood executives showed a "keen desire" to bring production to Australia, and revealed that the wide range of filming locations, quality of filmmakers, as well as economic factors such as the weak Australian dollar were keys in securing the films.

"During recent visits to both Los Angeles and New York, I met with senior executives of major film and production houses, with Walt Disney Company, Marvel, 20th Century Fox, Warner Brothers, Village Roadshow, NBC Universal and directors Ridley Scott and Brett Ratner, who all expressed a very keen desire to invest insignificant film production projects right here Australia," Bishop said at the announcement.

"They specifically spoke about the value in Australia as a filming destination, the quality and variety of our locations, but more importantly our highly qualified and talented workforce, our embrace of innovative technology, our stable economy, our dollar -- all this makes Australia an attractive destination."

Bishop said the news would also have positive effects on the local creative arts industry, with the government expecting that up to 3,000 jobs will be created as a result of the announcement.

"Many Australians are employed directly by Australia's creative industries, and attracting major films made here will be a significant boost for our economy, for our industrial base, and for linking Australia in innumerable ways to our ever-globalizing world," Bishop said.

Both of the films' producers have yet to announce specific filming sets for both movies, however locations in the states of New South Wales and Queensland expected to be chosen. endit