Hollywood influx drives record $1.9 billion spend in Australian drama production in 2020-21

Screen Australia’s annual drama report has highlighted the unprecedented impact of last year’s Hollywood influx, with Queensland and NSW contributing to a record $1.9 billion spend

Queensland’s position as a filming paradise during the Covid pandemic has contributed to a record $1.9 billion cash splash on drama production in Australia.

Presented in Screen Australia’s annual drama report on Wednesday, the unprecedented spend in the 2020-21 financial year, which was more than 50 per cent above the five year average, highlighted the impact of the Hollywood influx during the pandemic.

Queensland – through titles including Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis project, Escape From Spiderhead starring Chris Hemsworth and Ron Howard’s Thirteen Lives – accounted for a record $553 million share of the total spend.

It was a substantial increase on the state’s $53 million injection the previous financial year, which was heavily impacted by the shutdown of the industry during the pandemic.

Chris Hemsworth in a teaser from Queensland movie Escape From Spiderhead. Picture: Instagram/ Netflix

Screen Australia chief executive Graeme Mason said the record total was a result of the stalled local productions being able to resume filming midway through 2020, which in turn attracted foreign studios searching for a Covid-safe environment.

“What we are seeing now is the hard work of the Australian industry, who adapted and continued to work through Covid, paying off,” Mason said.

“It’s simply unprecedented to have 10 big foreign productions shooting here in Australia, and especially notable that so many had key Australian creative involvement. From Chris Hemsworth starring in Thor: Love and Thunder and Escape from Spiderhead, to Bruna Papandrea, Nicole Kidman and others bringing the adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers to Australia.

“A mix of local and global talent and finance drove this extraordinary result.”

The 95 Australian titles generated $874 million in Australia, up 57 per cent, while the 63 foreign projects accounted for $1.04 billion – a record that more than doubled the previous year’s $447m total.

Nicole Kidman in Nine Perfect Strangers which was filmed in Byron Bay. (Photo by: Vince Valitutti/Hulu)

NSW, through Thor, Nine Perfect Strangers and local titles including Rose Byrne’s Seriously Red, accounted for the largest share of $912 million followed by Queensland.

During the year Queensland secured a number of big-budget projects previously set to film elsewhere including Escape From Spiderhead and series Young Rock, which is part of a three series deal with Universal Studio Group including Joe Exotic and Irreverent.

Those two series have filmed in the current financial year while Young Rock season two has returned to the Gold Coast in recent months, shooting scenes at The Pink Hotel in Coolangatta and Snapper Rocks this week.

The slate of series along with George Clooney and Julia Roberts movie Ticket to Paradise and upcoming Disney series Nautilus are posed to spare Queensland, and Australia, from a hangover result in the coming financial year.

Ron Howard with wife Cheryl in Queensland for filming on Thirteen Lives.

“Australia cemented its reputation as a leading destination for international productions in 2020/21, thanks not only to our world-class cast, crew, facilities and stunning physical locations and Australia’s lower rates of COVID-19 but also due to the incentive and investment framework supported by the Federal, state and territory governments,” Mason said.

In July 2020 the Federal Government boosted its Location Incentive program by $400m over seven years.

Productions also benefited from the federal Location Offset and state government support.

After Queensland attracted an influx of international interest last year, June’s state budget included a $71m screen industry cash splash, with an extra $53m over two years for the Production Attraction Strategy to continue momentum.