Hollywood producer Lucas Foster allowed to shoot in Sydney despite COVID-19 bans

While the rest of NSW is in lockdown, American producer Lucas Foster has been given approval to film a Stephen King horror movie in Sydney’s north west.

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FILMING of a Stephen King horror movie in Richmond will be allowed to go ahead after its Hollywood producer agreed to meet social distancing rules.

The new version of Children of the Corn is being produced by Ford v Ferrari producer Lucas Foster and filmed on a specially planted field of corn on a farm owned by Western Sydney University.

Yesterday Screen NSW, which helped fund the movie from the state’s incentive fund, said the “reimagining of Stephen King’s 1977 short story Children of the Corn has been supported to shoot in the state.

Hollywood producer Lucas Foster is trying push ahead with filming his new movie in Sydney’s west amid the coronavirus crisis. Picture: Getty Images

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“In light of the COVID-19 situation, we understand that the production has significantly reduced its cast and crew size and is implementing health and safety protocols in line with Government restrictions for workplaces, which it is monitoring to protect members of the production while shooting takes place at permitted locations and on private land,” a Screen NSW spokesman said.

A field of corn has been grown on a farm owned by Western Sydney University as a set for a new Hollywood movie. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“Screen NSW has worked with Safework NSW to review the production’s protocols and has provided feedback to the production on required amends to align with current guidelines.”

Yesterday The Daily Telegraph reported that more than a dozen crew members had resigned from the shoot over fears of catching coronavirus.

A large crew was preparing the set yesterday under the guidance of Mr Foster, who also produced Mr and Mrs Smith, starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.